Press Release

Public Power Awards of Excellence Presented to NC Public Power Communities

Raleigh, NC, August 15, 2006 – Sixteen public power communities received “Awards of Excellence” at ElectriCities Annual Meeting, August 11-12, 2006. Cities apply for awards in the following categories: Grassroots/Building Political Strength; Economic Development; Communications; Customer Service; Key Accounts; Cooperative Purchasing; and, Training. ElectriCities members from North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia attend Annual Meeting.

The Grassroots/Building Political Strength award recognizes efforts by the city in legislative issues important to public power, initiation of local grassroots events, and participation in federal and state legislative events. Tarboro received the Grassroots/Building Political Strength award.

The Economic Development award recognizes initiative by the city in economic development efforts, including industry recruitment leading to job creation, and implementation of economic development studies. Albemarle, Ayden, Cherryville, Concord, Fayetteville PWC, Gastonia, Greenville Utilities Commission, Kings Mountain, Morganton, Newton, Rocky Mount, Selma, Tarboro and Wilson received Economic Development awards. Lexington received honorable mention.

The Communications award recognizes outstanding customer communication, including the use of bill inserts to communicate information to customers, use of innovative strategies to communicate policies, production of a newsletter or e-newsletter, assignment of a public information officer, and completion of a coordinated communications plan. Albemarle, Ayden, Cherryville, Concord, Fayetteville PWC, Gastonia, Greenville Utilities Commission, Lexington, Morganton, Newton, Rocky Mount, Tarboro, Wake Forest and Wilson received Communications awards.

The Customer Service award recognizes outstanding customer service efforts, including residential customers programs such as medical alert, payment assistance, bank draft program, and energy efficiency options. Also included in the criteria is the following: designation of a central point of contact for commercial customers, promotion of energy-efficient building programs, use of energy surveys or audits, and a customer appreciation event. Cherryville, Fayetteville PWC, Gastonia, Greenville Utilities Commission, Kings Mountain, Lexington, Morganton, Rocky Mount, Tarboro and Wilson received Customer Service awards.

The Key Accounts award recognizes efforts by the city with their key business customers, including advanced training by key account representatives, implementation of a key accounts business plan, communication with key accounts customers, and locally-sponsored events. Fayetteville PWC, Greenville Utilities Commission, Newton, Rocky Mount and Wilson received Key Accounts awards. Lexington and Tarboro received honorable mention.

The Cooperative Purchasing award recognizes efforts by the city to participate in ElectriCities’ cooperative purchasing contracts. Greenville Utilities Commission, Lexington and Tarboro received Cooperative Purchasing awards.

The Training award recognizes commitment by the city to ongoing staff education and training by attendance at ElectriCities-sponsored training sessions, completion of a continuing education or tuition reimbursement program, and in-house training opportunities. Ayden, Cherryville, Concord, Fayetteville PWC, Gastonia, Greenville Utilities Commission, Lexington, Newton, Rocky Mount, Tarboro and Wilson received Training awards.

ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc. (ElectriCities), North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number One (NCMPA1), North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (NCEMPA) - More than 70 North Carolina public power communities, municipally owned and operated electric systems, serve more than 500,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in North Carolina. ElectriCities' members in NC, SC and VA serve more than one million customers. Most have been providing reliable electric service for 100 years or more. ElectriCities is the service organization that provides customer service and safety training, emergency and technical assistance, communications, government affairs and legal services to public power cities. ElectriCities provides management services to the states two municipal power agencies: NCMPA1 and NCEMPA. NCMPA1 has 19 member cities in the western part of North Carolina and NCEMPA has 32 member cities in eastern North Carolina. More information about ElectriCities, the power agencies and public power is available on the Internet at www.electricities.com or at www.ncpublicpower.com.

Members of the press: please contact Jeanne Bonds (ext. 6336) or Rebecca Agner (ext. 6334) at 1-800-768-7697 for assistance with cutlines or for more information. For photos for publication email Ragner@electricities.org
or jbonds@electricities.org
Additional photos will be added throughout the week.

For photos for publication email ragner@electricities.org or jbonds@electricities.org

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