Feb. 18--HARLINGEN -- CPL Retail Energy is reducing its residential rates in hopes of attracting new customers.

Starting Feb. 28, CPL residential customers on the Direct Electricity Plan will see an automatic estimated 15 percent decrease in their monthly electricity bills, Lisa Dornan, public relations senior manager for CPL, said Tuesday.

With this decrease, customers will see an estimated $360 per year in savings, or about $30 per month, Dornan said.

"As a power company we are always looking to keep power as affordable as possible and reduce (rates) whenever possible," Dornan said.

"Some of the market factors are a big part of that, such as the lower natural gas prices."

New customers as of Feb. 28 will receive a rate of 16.9 cents per kilowatt-hour, Dornan said. Rates for current customers vary according to their plan, and will be reflected in their bills, she said.

All new and current customers as of March 31 can enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a grand prize of a year's worth of mortgage payments, up to $40,000, Dornan said.

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CPL RAFFLE

CPL Retail Energy will hold a raffle for a month's w orth of groceries, with a maximum value of $500, for 35 customers and a summer's worth of free electricity, a maximum value of $1,000, for 50 customers.

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