The City of Arlington signed a three-year contract to continue the PowerUp Arlington revenue enhancement program with hometown retail electric provider Texas Power. The innovative initiative offers residents competitive and reliable electricity service, while the City receives a portion of the proceeds at no extra cost to Arlington citizens.
History of PowerUp
The PowerUp program started in 2011 when the City and Arlington-based Texas Power teamed up to create a pilot program.
"We wanted to test a joint-effort model for two years where the City and a private company worked toward a mutual interest," said Texas Power Vice President David Chase. "We were both interested in revenue but also extremely interested in the reputations of our respective organizations. We were looking for the win-win-win scenario for Texas Power, Arlington and - most importantly - the residents, who we know as customers."
To date, approximately 1,700 residents and employees have participated in PowerUp, and the City has received approximately $78,000 from the initiative, which prompted Arlington officials to issue a Request for Proposal to continue the program, says Nora Coronado, Project Coordinator in Arlington's Financial and Management Resources Department.
After receiving responses from two electric providers, an evaluation team unanimously recommended Texas Power.
"The City anticipates the program to continue to perform well, attracting more customers that can benefit from competitive and reliable electricity service," Coronado said. She added, "The City will also continue to benefit from the proceeds of this revenue enhancement initiative to support Arlington and its services."
How To Sign Up
Since Texas has a deregulated electricity market, Arlington residents have the power to choose and change their electricity provider without fear of losing power.
To sign up for the PowerUp program, residents should visit PowerUpArlington.com, or call 1-855-698-9797 and mention PowerUp.
There are a variety of plans to choose from, including 12-month fixed rate and 24-month fixed rate plans that offer a $25 bill credit for signing up. There are also options for a variable rate plan, as well as 100% renewable energy plans.
"While we may not be as well known as some of our largest competitors, we offer the same electricity with quite often better service and pricing," Chase said. "In fact, Texas Power offers a program for Arlington residents that even our largest competitors can't offer with PowerUp."
Texas Power Is Here To Serve
In addition to PowerUp, Texas Power employees pride themselves in what they call "The Give Back," a term that refers to community service.
The Texas Power staff most recently volunteered at the Arlington Animal Shelter in March, putting in 36 hours collectively, and several employees are scheduled to help in May.
The company also brings all new hires to volunteer at Mission Arlington and will be the title sponsor of the Levitt Pavilion concert series for the third straight year.
Beyond those service efforts, Texas Power adopted the highway outside its office and has been part of the Arlington Green Team since 2009.
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