KERRVILLE PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD
THE KPUB
Energy Hub
CORNER
Celebrating 35 Years of
Public Power
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| FALL/WINTER 2022/2023
CEO
A N R N I V E
CE L E B R AT I N G 3 5 Y E A RS DECEMBER 10, 2022
As Kerrville Public Utility Board (KPUB) celebrates 35 years of public power, we take a look back at the key events that have shaped our history and how we came to exist as Kerrville’s not-for-profit, communityowned utility company.
Not many know the storied 131-year history of how our town’s power has been provided over time. Many of our well-known families were originally involved in establishing and providing power to the Kerrville area. It all started back in 1891 when the Schreiner family placed a small generating plant at their mill along the Guadalupe River. In January of 1898, with stated capital of $10,000, Charles, A.C. and L.A. Schreiner officially formed the Kerrville Electric Light, Heat & Power Co. Ownership expanded and was eventually transferred through the Schreiner, Maurer, Holdsworth, Imsel and Roberts families to Mr. Dick Eastland.
In 1925, Eastland sold the company to Texas Power and Light Company which owned the system until the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) took ownership on September 1, 1939. For 62 years, electric power was generated and sold by companies headquartered outside of Kerr County. KPUB was then formed after a vote by the citizens of Kerrville and the issuance of $29.5 million in bonds for The City of Kerrville to purchase the system from LCRA in 1987. The provision of electric power had come full circle and was once again in the hands of the local citizens. Since our founding, KPUB’s commitment to keeping the lights on safely and reliably for our community has never wavered. We’ve powered through storms, floods and a pandemic during our history. As we honor our past, we remain steadily focused on providing low-cost power solutions to carry our friends and neighbors brightly into the next 35 years. Photos: Above, KPUB ribbon cutting (1987). Below, the Schreiner family’s Kerrville Roller Mills and Electric Light Plant (from the collection of Joe Herring Jr.).
Mike Wittler
KPUB General Manager & CEO