Cleveland Public Power
| Company type | Municipal utility |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electric utility |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Founder | Tom L. Johnson |
| Headquarters | Cleveland , United States |
| Products | Electric generation and distribution |
Cleveland Public Power (CPP) operates as a municipally owned electric generation and distribution utility located in Cleveland, Ohio. Established in 1907 by then-mayor Tom L. Johnson, it was originally called Municipal Light or colloquially Muny Light until it adopted its current name in 1983. CPP maintains a modest capacity primarily aimed at supplementing the electricity supply to prevent excessive pricing by private providers, ensuring power availability for municipal infrastructure such as streetlights and public buildings, as well as supplying energy to Cleveland Browns Stadium.
In December 1978, Mayor Dennis Kucinich chose not to sell CPP despite financial institutions associated with its chief private rival, the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company (CEI), declining to refinance the city's debt. This decision triggered Cleveland’s initial municipal default since the Great Depression, ultimately costing Kucinich his position in the subsequent election. However, his stance was later supported by city authorities and the U.S. Senate, which determined that CEI and the involved banks had engaged in misconduct.
Ivan Henderson took over as CPP commissioner from James Majer in December 2006. During Henderson’s tenure, CPP expanded its role by taking over streetlight maintenance duties previously handled by CEI, thereby broadening its responsibilities within the municipality.