City council unanimously approves LP&L’s transition to retail electric competition

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - In Tuesday night’s meeting, Lubbock City Council voted 7-0 in favor of transitioning Lubbock Power & Light to the competitive electric market.

Pending state regulatory approval to move about 24,000 or 30 percent of LP&L’s remaining customers into the ERCOT market, officials expect customers to be able to make decisions on retail electricity by October of 2023.

Retail providers will be responsible for buying and selling power, while LP&L will continue to own and maintain all transmission and distribution infrastructure, such as poles and lines. Under the new system, customers will be able to “shop” from multiple retail electric providers, each offering their own plans, pricing and contract terms.

“Our work is far from done,” said David McCalla, Director of Electric Utilities. “LP&L and our partners have a lot to do in order to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible, but we’re hitting the ground running. We look forward to serving our community with a renewed focus on ensuring reliable power now and well into the future.”

According to LP&L, one part of coming preparations will include information provided to customers on electricity options.

Midland and Dallas competitive markets provide information to customers through the state’s official website, PowerToChoose.org, to review and compare plans in their area. Customers can switch providers, depending on their contract, if another offers a more affordable or appealing option.

Tuesday’s final vote by the City council follows last week’s resolution from the Lubbock Electric Utility Board opting into competition for retail electric service for Lubbock Power & Light customers.

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