Company type | Subsidiary |
---|---|
NYSE: HOU (Houston Industries) | |
Industry | Utilities |
Founded | 1882 |
Defunct | 2003 (split into Reliant Energy, Texas Genco, and CenterPoint Energy) |
Fate | Defunct |
Successor | Reliant Energy, Texas Genco, CenterPoint Energy |
Headquarters | Houston, Texas, U.S., Houston , United States |
Area served | Greater Houston, Texas |
Products | Electricity, utility services |
Owner | Houston Industries (later Reliant Energy) |
Parent | Houston Industries (later Reliant Energy) |
Houston Lighting & Power Co. (HL&P), later named Reliant Energy HL&P/Entex, was the single power and utility company that served Greater Houston of the U.S. state of Texas. It was a subsidiary of Houston Industries (HI, NYSE: HOU), [1] which later was renamed to Reliant Energy (REI). HL&P had a service area of 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2). In 1998 in terms of kilowatt-hour sales it was the tenth-largest energy company in the United States. [2]
It began operations in 1882. [3]
In 1999 Houston Industries changed its name to Reliant Energy. [4] Therefore HL&P was renamed Reliant Energy HL&P/Entex.
When the state of Texas deregulated the electricity market, HL&P was split into several companies. [5] In 2003 the company was split into Reliant Energy, Texas Genco, and CenterPoint Energy. [6] Texas Genco assumed control of the area's power plants. [5] CenterPoint assumed control of the poles and power lines. Reliant Energy took over the sales of electricity to businesses and individuals. [6]
Before the dissolution of the company, its headquarters were shared with Houston Industries in the Houston Industries Plaza, now the CenterPoint Energy Plaza in Downtown Houston. [7]
The Bob Lanier Public Works Building in Downtown Houston, formerly the Electric Building, [8] was previously the HL&P office building. In 1999 the City of Houston, which had acquired the building, renovated it for $43 million to house city government offices. [9]