Electricity Transmission
Our Experience
In 1985, Citizens Energy began its electricity industry operations by buying power from utilities with surplus generating capacity, reselling the excess power to other utilities, and using the profits to help low-income families pay their electricity bills. This initial experience ultimately led Citizens to win a landmark federal decision that foreshadowed the deregulation of the electricity industry and the formation of an independent Citizens Energy electric power marketing company. Read more...
Through an arrangement with the Utah Municipal Power Agency, Citizens Energy made surplus generating capacity available to third-party buyers in the Southwest. Citizens then used the profits to benefit low-income households served by the utility. Within two years, the program was buying and selling more than 3.2 million kilowatt hours of electricity and delivering assistance to needy customers of three California and Utah utilities.
Building on this experience, Citizens Energy formed the nation’s first independent electric power marketer in 1988 – Citizens Power & Light Corporation. This company’s mission was to acquire, exchange, and market electric power under contracts extending from several months to several decades.
Before launching its electricity operations, Citizens Energy won a landmark decision from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that foreshadowed the eventual deregulation of the electricity industry. FERC approved Citizens’ innovative petition to allow Citizens to buy and sell inter-utility electricity without restrictive rate regulation. This pioneering decision enabled Citizens Power & Light to close more than 30 major power sale contracts within a few years, becoming the nationally recognized leader in the field of electricity power marketing.
Citizens Power & Light’s customers ranged from major electric utilities throughout North America to the fast-growing independent power development industry. Citizens Power & Light increased the timeliness and cost-effectiveness of selling power in the hugely fragmented electricity market by providing services to reduce risks, lower generating costs, and adding value. Among these services, Citizens developed and implemented effective demand-side management programs, which have since become increasing common strategies for electricity users to reduce their energy use and save money.
In 1995, Citizens Power & Light formed a partnership with Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc. and was renamed Citizens Lehman Power LP. Citizens Energy eventually sold its interest in the partnership.
Current Initiatives
Citizens Energy is currently working to develop two large-scale 500 kV high-voltage transmission projects in Southern California to improve electric grid operation and enable access to one of the largest sources of renewable power in the United States – 2,000 MW of geothermal and solar resources from the Salton Sea and southern Imperial County.

The Green Path Project is a first-of-its-kind public-private venture involving the Imperial Irrigation District (IID), Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), and Citizens Energy to provide transmission facilities and deliver renewable energy to Southern California ratepayers from the Imperial Valley. The Project will upgrade existing transmission lines and create new interconnection points that will help California utilities meet their renewable resource goals and reduce overall energy costs for customers.

Citizens Energy is working with its partners to help finance portions of the project and will direct 50% of its profits from this investment to assist low-income customers of LADWP and IID Energy through electric bill subsidies and other need-based assistance programs. Citizens Energy is involved in two portions of the Green Path Project. Read more...
Green Path Southwest: This portion of the Green Path Project will increase reliability and import/export capability of the IID Energy transmission system and provide reliable connection at a new San Felipe substation for renewable resources delivery to the San Diego area. To learn more about Green Path Southwest, click here.
Green Path North: This portion of the Green Path Project will link two public power control areas – LADWP and IID - and provide LADWP with access to geothermal and other renewable resources located in the IID Energy service area. This new interconnection will enhance IID Energy’s transmission import/export capacity and system reliability. To learn more about the Green Path Project, click here.
Contact Us
Businesses that are interested in partnering with Citizens Energy on electricity-related projects are encouraged to reach us at 617-338-6300.