LUBBOCK — For nearly 25 years, much of Texas’ population have lived in a city that participates in the state’s open energy marketplace. But not the residents of Lubbock, who have been serviced exclusively by one electric company — Lubbock Power & Light, the city’s municipal provider.
The switch from a single municipal provider to the state’s open marketplace has been several years in making. Last year, the municipal electric company completed its integration into the state power grid managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, often referred to as ERCOT. There have been costly hurdles along the way, including resolving their contract with Xcel and shutting down their usage on the SPP grid. But Matt Rose, LP&L’s chief public affairs officer, said Lubbock could be used as a test case for other cities that might want to do the same.
“The way they advertise and how they engage are things Lubbock citizens have never seen,” Bergfeld said. Regardless of who customers choose, Rose stressed that people can change providers at the end of their terms if they aren’t satisfied.