The City of Dallas will save up to $7 million per year on a new electricity contract signed with TXU Energy. The new three-year contract represents a total electricity purchase of more than 2.2 million mega-watt hours (MWh) - enough to power more than 800 City-owned facilities, thousands of traffic signals and street lights, and operations like pumping water.

The City of Dallas has reduced its overall energy use at existing city facilities by almost five percent per year over the past five years. This was accomplished in numerous ways, including lighting upgrades, solar panels, highly efficient heating and air conditioning systems and automated controls in facilities.

This new contract with TXU Energy encourages more of these types of energy efficiency projects by providing Energy Efficiency Rebate funds. Implementing new energy efficiency projects can save the City of Dallas even more dollars even beyond the life of the new contract.  

"This is a win-win for the City of Dallas," said Carolyn McKnight-Bray, Director of City of Dallas' Equipment and Building Services Department.   "The energy efficiency projects are projects the City had planned, but the flexible rebate funds allow us to do them at a reduced cost. Combined with the price savings for electricity itself, this will help us invest in the City's infrastructure and reduce total energy consumption.  That will benefit the City, and its residents, long after the contract expires."

The contract includes 40 percent renewable energy in the form of Green-e Energy renewable energy credits (RECs) generated from Texas wind power farms that came at significant savings to the City's previous agreement. Certification from Green-e Energy ensures that the City is purchasing certified renewable energy credits from Texas wind farms meeting the "new renewable energy" requirements set forth by the Green-e Energy certification program.  The certification has some of the highest standards and fuel requirements in the industry.

The City of Dallas is a member of the EPA Green Power Leadership Club based on its commitment to purchasing renewable energy since 2008.  The 40 percent renewable commitment makes Dallas the second largest municipal purchaser of green power in the nation. This new green power purchase will avoid an estimated 454,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions - the equivalent of removing 87,000 cars each year from Texas roads.

"The City's objectives were to save taxpayer dollars and to be a leader in environmental stewardship," said Gabe Castro, vice president of energy sales for large business, TXU Energy.   "Our job is to help them meet those objectives, and I think we will accomplish that with this new energy contract."

For more information about TXU Energy's business products, visit txu.com/business.

To learn more about Green-e certified products and programs available in all 50 states, visit www.green-e.org

About TXU Energy
TXU Energy is a market-leading competitive retailer that provides electricity and related services to more than 2 million electricity customers in Texas. TXU Energy offers a variety of innovative products and solutions, allowing both its residential and business customers to choose options that best meet their needs, including exceptional customer service, competitively priced electricity service plans, innovative energy efficiency options, renewable energy programs and other electricity-related products and services.  Visit txu.com  for more information about TXU Energy.  REP #10004.

ABOUT GREEN DALLAS
Green Dallas is a City of Dallas initiative aimed at environmental responsibility and encourages both public and private sector involvement. Conserving energy and purchasing renewable energy are important aspects of the City's commitment to the environment. The City of Dallas was just named to the Natural Resources Defense Council's 2010 Smarter Cities Energy List. In 2008, Dallas was #1 on the EPA's Green Power Partnership Top 10 Local Government list making it the largest municipal purchaser of green power in the nation. The City has continued to purchase that same amount of renewable power each year since.  To find out more about how the City of Dallas is an environmental leader and what residents can do to ?build a greener Dallas,' visit the City's green Web site www.GreenDallas.net