Public Power Now

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Amme Storma, a financial analyst with Wisconsin public power utility Kaukauna Utilities, and Laura Beeman, a managing consultant with Beam Reach Consulting Group, provide insights on community benefits plans, which the Department of Energy requires as part of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act funding opportunity announceme...

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Jeffrey Stewart, Director of Louisiana public power utility Lafayette Utilities System, details the benefits of public power utilities participating in APPA’s 2024 Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo. Lafayette Utilities System is hosting the Lineworkers Rodeo, which will take place on April 5-6 in Lafayette, Louisiana.

At Massachusetts public power utility Groton Electric Light Department, “customer service has always been our focus, from the top down,” said Kevin Kelly, General Manager at Groton Electric Light Department, in the latest episode of Public Power Now. The utility was recently recognized by APPA with a Public Power Customer Satisfaction Award for providing excellent service to its community.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Tim Bryant, who became CEO and General Manager of North Carolina-based public power utility Fayetteville Public Works Commission in August, details what his priorities have been since taking on his new role at the utility. Bryant also discusses the steps that the utility has taken to achieve high levels of reliability.

This episode of Public Power Now features a recent APPA webinar that details how APPA members can benefit from participating in three Association programs: the Demonstration of Energy & Efficiency Developments program, the Reliable Public Power Provider program and the Smart Energy Provider program. The webinar includes public power officials who detail how their utilities have engaged with th...

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Kimberly Schlichting, President and CEO of the Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation, offers details on a new DEMEC Joint Lineworker Training Yard. Among other things, she details the wide range of benefits that will flow from the new facility for the joint action agency’s members including cost savings.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Deenise Becenti, Government and Public Affairs Manager at the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, details how the Light Up Navajo project is helping to bring electricity to families in the Navajo Nation and discusses the benefits that are flowing from NTUA solar energy projects including providing job opportunities for the Navajo Nation.

The steps that Idaho Falls Power is taking to plan for future power supply needs, the strategies that the utility has adopted to address supply chain challenges and the efforts the utility has engaged in to earn a Diamond Level designation from APPA as a Reliable Public Power provider are detailed by Bear Prairie, General Manager at Idaho Falls Power, in the latest episode of Public Power Now.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Javier Cisneros, Director of Utilities at Florida’s Fort Pierce Utilities Authority, details the projects that the public power utility will pursue as a result of funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather and natural disasters through increased grid resiliency. Cisneros also discusses FPUA’s participation in a m...

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Jared Price, Chief Information Officer at American Municipal Power, details the tools that AMP provides to its members related to cybersecurity and discusses how utilities can leverage Cybersecurity Awareness Month to engage with customers on cybersecurity issues.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Scott Corwin, the American Public Power Association’s President and CEO, details how APPA is helping its members successfully meet challenges facing the power sector. Corwin also discusses the benefits that have flowed from him traveling across the country to meet with APPA members.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Missy Henriksen, Executive Director for the Center for Energy Workforce Development, discusses the activities that the Center for Energy Workforce Development is planning for Careers in Energy Week (Oct. 16-20) and details the resources that the Center makes available to APPA members.

The latest episode of Public Power Now features officials with Turlock Irrigation District, the Alaska Power Association and Snohomish County PUD who participated in a panel discussion at the 2023 Northwest Public Power Association’s Northwest Innovations in Communications Conference. The panelists offered insights on how to start, sustain, and succeed in the world of utility podcasting. Clark PUD...

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Paul Lau, CEO and General Manager at California public power utility SMUD, provides an update on the utility's effort to reach zero carbon emissions in its power supply by 2030 and details the recently completed commissioning of six energy storage systems delivered to SMUD.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Nick Johnson, environmental protection specialist at the Bonneville Power Administration, discusses his work for BPA in helping to determine the viability of pollinator habitat within BPA rights-of-way and facilities.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Aaron Orlowski, a communications specialist and primary spokesperson for Oregon public power utility the Eugene Water and Electric Board, details the utility’s plans to pursue studies related to demand response programs and discusses the strategies that EWEB utilizes to successfully connect with its customers.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Jackie Flowers, Director of Washington State public power utility Tacoma Public Utilities, details how the utility is engaging with its customers in the area of electric vehicles and discusses the utility’s activities related to the development of the Southwest Power Pool’s Markets+ initiative.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Matt Schull, President & CEO of South Dakota-based Missouri River Energy Services, details how MRES is helping its members successfully address workforce challenges and communicate the economic value of all the benefits that local electric utilities provided to their communities.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Tim Pospisil, Director of Security Technology Outreach & Chief Security Officer at Nebraska Public Power District, details how utilities can benefit from participating in the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center’s seventh biennial grid security and resilience exercise – GridEx -- on November 14-15, 2023 and also discusses NPPD’s partici...

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Bob Kahn, who in July became the new general manager of Texas public power utility Austin Energy, details how his wealth of experience in the power sector has helped to prepare him to hit the ground running as the new general manager of Austin Energy. Kahn also details the strategies that Austin Energy is utilizing to address supply chain constraints.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Jamie Jones, Assistant City Manager and Director of Utilities and Public Works for the City of Newberry, Florida, details the benefits that flow from the city’s membership in the Florida Municipal Electric Association and the Florida Municipal Power Agency. Jones also discusses supply chain challenges that the city utility has faced.  At APPA’s National C...

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Brian Chandler, General Manager of Alabama’s Troy Utilities, details the utility’s strategy related to electric vehicles and EV charging stations and highlights the participation of crews from Troy Utilities in the Light Up Navajo project.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Jackie Pratt, General Manager of Vermont public power utility Stowe Electric Department, details how the utility utilized an APPA Demonstration of Energy & Efficiency Developments program grant for a microgrid feasibility study and discusses the APPA Energy Innovator Award it received for its ongoing partnership with the University of Vermont.

With the deadline to apply for APPA Demonstration of Energy & Efficiency Developments program grants fast approaching, the latest episode of Public Power Now features Paul Zummo, Director, Research & Development at APPA, who details the benefits that can flow from applying and receiving a DEED grant. The deadline for applying for DEED grants is August 15.

Piedmont Municipal Power Agency helps its member utilities with economic development efforts by providing direct monetary contributions on an annual basis to members that can be spent in support of local economic development efforts, notes Joel Ledbetter, the new general manager for PMPA, in the latest Public Power Now podcast. Moreover, PMPA not only offers a reliable and competitively priced sou...