Clyde Light & Power

The System

The City of Clyde built its new electrical distribution system, Clyde Light and Power, in 1989. The system provides a dual-feed 69 Kilovolt (KV) transmission line and a 12,470 Volt (V) distribution system.

Why Municipal Electric?

Clyde Light & Power is a municipal electric department (also known as a municipal utility or a public power utility) that is a government-owned and operated entity that provides electric utility services to customers within the municipality and a few outside the City. Clyde Light & Power is responsible for transmitting, and distributing electricity to residential, commercial, and industrial customers within their service area.

In contrast to investor-owned utilities, which are owned by shareholders and operate to maximize profits, municipal electric departments are owned by the local government and operate as non-profit entities that provide reliable and affordable electricity to their customers. Municipal electric departments are accountable to their local elected officials, and Clyde Light and Power operates under the oversight of the City Manager and Clyde City Council.

Historical Documents

Clyde Electric Story (PDF)
Related Legislation (Incomplete) (PDF)
Municipalization Outline (PDF)
Nelson Summit Comments (PDF)
1989 Press Release (PDF)
Public Power News (PDF)
Cost Overruns (PDF)
1990 News Article (PDF)
Summit Presentation (PDF)
Ground Breaking Ceremony (PDF)
The Rebellion in Pole City - New York Times (PDF)