STREET LIGHTS COMING TO CAMERON PARK, LAGUNA HEIGHTS THANKS TO $20,000 DONATION FROM CPL RETAIL ENERGY
Increased street lighting makes neighborhoods safer for residents
Brownsville, TX (January 30, 2008) – The communities of Cameron Park and Laguna Heights – adjacent to Brownsville, Texas – will have brighter, safer streets thanks to new street lighting made possible by a two-year commitment from local retail electricity provider, CPL Retail Energy.
Jim Steffes, VP and GM of CPL Retail Energy, was joined by State Representative Rene Oliveira and other state and local officials to make the announcement at separate events in the two communities on Wednesday. While funding for the purchase and installation of street lighting for Cameron Park and Laguna Heights was secured in June 2007 through the Office of Rural Community Affairs (ORCA), the project didn’t proceed due to lack of funding to cover the cost of electricity needed for the street lights.
“Street lighting is something most people take for granted; but for the residents of Cameron Park and Laguna Heights, the lack of street lighting makes everyday occurrences such as sending children off to school early in the morning or walking to their neighbor’s house a scary prospect,” said Rep. Oliveira. “The funding set aside for street lighting improvements in House Bill 775 was an important first step in making all Texas communities safer for its residents. But more was needed. CPL Retail Energy’s commitment to providing funding to cover the electricity costs of the new lighting has made it possible for us to bring a new level of safety to the streets of Cameron Park and Laguna Heights.”
Cameron Park will see 84 street lights installed, while 36 are going to Laguna Heights. CPL Retail Energy has agreed to provide a donation of $20,000 over the next two years to cover the electricity costs of those 120 street lights.
“As a long-standing energy partner in Texas, CPL Retail Energy is committed to being a part of the communities where it operates, and where its employees and customers live and work,” said Steffes, whose company and its affiliates have provided nearly $17 million to benefit Texas communities since 2002. “As both Cameron Park and Laguna Heights continue to grow in population, it’s important for infrastructure needs such as street lighting to be in place to create safer communities for their residents.”
Unlike similar communities whose residents number in the hundreds, according to data from the 2000 Census, Cameron Park has more than 6,000 residents, while over 2,000 people call Laguna Heights home.
State Representative Juan M. Escobar stated, “Let’s not treat the under-privileged by denying them the protection others enjoy. We cannot put a premium on pedestrian and vehicular safety because of the lack of street lights in unincorporated areas in our community. I believe everyone agrees that our state and local governments must act to ensure the safety and well being of all residents.”
About CPL Retail Energy, a Direct Energy company
CPL Retail Energy is part of the Centrica group of companies, one of the largest multi-state providers of retail energy services in North America. The North American operations have grown to more than 5 million residential and commercial customer relationships. Through its CPL Retail Energy, WTU Retail Energy, and Direct Energy brands, the company is the third largest retail energy provider in Texas, and owns a series of energy-related services companies. The company also offers comprehensive energy solutions to more than 60,000 businesses across North America. Globally, the Centrica group of companies is a leading provider of energy and other essential services with approximately 32 million customer relationships. For more information, visit www.directenergy.com or www.cplretailenergy.com.