Garland Power & Light

What Garland Power & Light does

Garland Power & Light (GP&L) is a vertically integrated, City of Garland-owned municipal electric utility founded on April 1, 1923, that generates, transmits, and distributes electricity within Garland, Texas. The utility serves more than 77,000 residential and commercial customers and ranks as the fourth-largest municipal utility in Texas and the 43rd-largest in the United States. GP&L's generation portfolio combines owned natural-gas capacity—principally the Ray Olinger Power Plant near Lavon Lake with four gas-fired units producing approximately 400 megawatts, supplemented by the 2003-acquired Spencer Power Plant adding up to 166 MW—with power purchase agreements for wind and solar energy sourced across Texas. Distribution infrastructure comprises 387 linear miles of overhead lines, 632 linear miles of underground lines, 36 substations and switches, and 311 linear miles of transmission lines, including 2014 transmission lines carrying wind power from West Texas and 2018's Houston Import Project delivering critical ERCOT-grid bulk power capacity.

GP&L earns operating revenues primarily from regulated retail electricity sales to customers in its exclusive Garland service territory, with FY2025 operating revenues of $391 million. Pricing is set locally by the City Council under Chapter 50 of the City of Garland Code of Ordinances and includes monthly customer charges, energy charges per kWh, and a $0.0819/kWh recovery adjustment factor; commercial schedules also include kW-based demand charges with seasonal differentiation. Complementing core electricity sales are recurring add-on products: the Green Choice 100% renewable energy rider ($0.0100/kWh premium with a 12-month minimum commitment, launched 2018), bi-directional solar net metering with a $0.0819/kWh excess-generation buyback, the EnergySaver bill-credit program for efficiency upgrades, free home energy audits, LED guard-light services ($5.34/month for 100W, $7.00/month for 250W), pole-attachment fees from telecommunications providers, and a combined utility bill bundling water, sewer, stormwater, and waste services.

GP&L operates as a not-for-profit that returns a portion of revenues to the City of Garland's general fund and reports to the City Council. Go-to-market is direct-to-customer through multiple service channels—the website gpltexas.org, 24/7 phone and SMS outage reporting, walk-in and drive-thru service centers—and requires no sales motion, as customers are automatically served upon establishing service at an eligible address. The utility reports reliability metrics of 0.23 annual interruptions per customer and a 12-minute average outage duration, outperforming national averages of 0.89 interruptions and 90 minutes, supported by 16 consecutive years of Tree Line USA recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation for proactive vegetation management.

Name

Garland Power & Light

Legal name

Garland Power & Light

Website

https://gpltexas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Garland Power & Light (GP&L) is a City of Garland, Texas-owned municipal electric utility that generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to more than 77,000 residential and commercial customers, ranking as the fourth-largest municipal utility in Texas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Services

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Utility-Scale Generator PPAs (Project Offtake) (EUAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hybrid PPAs (Renewables + Storage) & Firm Renewable Products (EUAGADAI), Retail & Community PPAs (Community Solar/Shared Renewables) (EUAGADAC)

Keywords

• Electric utility service
• Municipal power distribution
• Renewable energy plans
• Outage management services
• Energy efficiency programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Garland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Electricity Sales: GP&L generates revenue through electricity sales to residential and commercial customers in Garland, TX. Revenue includes monthly customer charges, energy charges per kWh, recovery adjustment factors, and optional Green Choice renewable energy surcharges. Fiscal Year 2025 operating revenues were $391 million.
2. Green Choice Renewable Energy Premium: Optional 100% renewable energy plan (Green Choice) costs a penny more per kWh than regular rate. Requires 12-month minimum commitment. Additional revenue stream from customers selecting renewable energy option.
3. Street and Guard Light Services: Monthly service charges for LED guard lights: 100 watt at $5.34/month, 250 watt at $7.00/month. One-time installation fees for guard light installation. Streetlight installation provided at no cost to customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Garland Power & Light (GP&L) is a municipally owned, vertically integrated electric utility that generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to more than 77,000 residential and commercial customers within the City of Garland, Texas. It owns the Ray Olinger Power Plant (four gas-fired units producing ~400 MW), 36 substations, 311 transmission-line miles, and 1,019 distribution-line miles, and supplements its own generation with wind and solar power purchase agreements. It also offers Green Choice 100% renewable energy, EnergySaver bill-credit efficiency upgrades, net metering for rooftop solar, free energy audits, and street/guard light services.

Product overview

Garland Power & Light (GP&L) is a municipal electric utility providing a comprehensive suite of electricity services to over 77,000 residential and commercial customers in Garland, TX. The utility operates as a vertically integrated municipal utility with core offerings including residential and commercial electric service with multiple rate structures, distribution infrastructure, and outage management. Supporting products include the Green Choice 100% renewable energy add-on, the EnergySaver Program providing bill credits for energy efficiency upgrades, solar/net metering services with bi-directional metering, free energy audits, street/guard light services, and combined utility billing. GP&L's energy portfolio includes natural gas, wind, and solar resources from owned facilities and power purchase agreements. The utility operates 387 linear miles of overhead lines, 632 miles of underground lines, 36 substations, and 311 linear miles of transmission lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Electric Service Municipal electric service providing reliable electricity to residential customers in Garland, TX, with stable competitive rates set locally by City Council and no hidden fees.
• Commercial Electric Service Electric utility service for Garland business customers across multiple rate schedules: General Service Small (GS-S), General Service Large (GS-L), Large Load Customer Service (LLS), High Tension Service (HTS), Transmission Voltage Service (TVS), and Large Transmission Voltage Service (LTVS).
• Green Choice Renewable Energy Plan Optional 100% renewable energy plan providing electricity from Texas wind and solar resources at $0.0100/kWh above the standard rate, requiring a 12-month minimum commitment.
• EnergySaver Program Program providing utility bill credits to residential and commercial customers who install qualifying energy-efficiency upgrades including central A/C, heat pumps, window units, weatherization, and commercial lighting.
• Solar Net Metering Service Net metering service allowing customers to install rooftop solar up to 10 kW, with bi-directional metering that records electricity flow both to and from GP&L, and buyback of excess kWh at $0.0819 per kWh.
• Home Energy Audits Free home energy audits conducted by trained professionals who evaluate A/C systems, insulation, air leakage, lighting, and appliances and provide cost-saving recommendations.
• Street and Guard Light Services Streetlight and guard light installation and repair services, including LED conversions, with monthly service charges for guard lights and free streetlight installation on public streets.
• Joint Use Pole Attachment Service Program that grants communication service providers non-discriminatory access to GP&L utility poles for cable television and telecommunications attachments, generating pole attachment permits and fees.
• Combined Utility Billing Consolidated billing service allowing customers to pay for water, sewer, stormwater management, environmental waste services, and electricity on a single monthly bill.

Quantifiable outcome

• 0.23 interruptions per customer annually (vs. national average of 0.89)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas)coreTechnology or IntegrationGP&L operates within ERCOT grid which manages electricity flow across most of Texas. GP&L must comply with ERCOT Protocols including power factor requirements (Protocol 3.15.2), load shedding procedures, and emergency alert systems. ERCOT determines postage stamp rates, administration charges, and congestion costs that factor into GP&L rate calculations.
• Texas Public Power AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGP&L is an active member of the Texas Public Power Association. As a member, GP&L can call on other public utilities for mutual aid assistance in case of widespread outages, enabling rapid response capabilities beyond local crew capacity.
• Communication Service Providers (Pole Attachment Partners)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGP&L provides non-discriminatory access to utility poles for communication service providers under the Communications Act of 1934, Telecommunications Act of 1996, and Local Government Code Chapter 283. These providers attach facilities for cable television and telecommunications services, generating pole attachment permits and fees.
• Wind and Solar Energy ProducerscoreTechnology or IntegrationGP&L has entered into power purchase agreements with energy producers whose wind and solar generation facilities are located across Texas. These agreements support GP&L's diverse energy portfolio and enable the Green Choice 100% renewable energy plan for customers.
• City of GarlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGP&L is the City of Garland's municipal electric utility, reporting to City Council. A portion of GP&L revenues is returned to the City's general fund to support municipal services. GP&L participates in city initiatives like Go Green Garland and sponsors community programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CPS Energy: Largest municipal electric and gas utility in the U.S., owned by the City of San Antonio. Closest large-scale Texas municipal peer with similar vertically integrated model, solar/wind PPAs, and community-focused programs.
• New Braunfels Utilities: Multi-utility (electric, water, wastewater) owned by the City of New Braunfels, TX. Comparable community-owned Texas utility providing bundled utility billing and renewable programs analogous to GP&L's combined bill and Green Choice.
• Bryan Texas Utilities: Municipal electric utility owned by the City of Bryan, TX, offering generation, transmission, and distribution. Similar size band and Texas-municipal operating model to GP&L.
• Austin Energy: City of Austin-owned municipal electric utility serving residential and commercial customers in Texas with generation, T&D, and renewable programs. Directly comparable to GP&L as another Texas municipal utility with a diversified generation mix and Green Choice-style offerings.
• Denton Municipal Electric (DME): City-owned municipal electric utility serving Denton, TX, including the former Spencer Power Plant now owned by GP&L. Comparable Texas municipal utility with similar customer-base scale and renewable options.

Broad incumbents

• Xcel Energy: Investor-owned utility serving multiple states including Texas (through Southwestern Public Service). Comparable in offering vertically integrated generation, T&D, and renewable options, but at much larger scale and outside municipal ownership model.
• Reliant Energy (NRG Energy): Major Texas retail electricity provider and one of the largest U.S. competitive power generators. Adjacent peer offering retail electricity products in Texas competing indirectly with municipal utility service territories.
• Oncor Electric Delivery: Largest electric transmission and distribution utility in Texas, regulated by the PUCT. Comparable as a Texas electric infrastructure operator, though focused on T&D rather than vertically integrated municipal service.
• TXU Energy: Largest retail electricity provider in Texas, serving customers outside of municipal and co-op territories. Comparable as a Texas electricity seller but operates in the competitive ERCOT retail market rather than as a municipal utility.

Regional players

• Pedernales Electric Cooperative: Largest electric distribution cooperative in the U.S., serving central Texas. Comparable Texas electric provider with similar community-governance ethos but cooperative rather than municipal structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/garlandtxgov
• Facebookfacebook.com/GarlandTXGov

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Garland Power & Light