Articles Archive

8 Utilities Earn Mutual Aid Commendations from the American Public Power Association

The American Public Power Association (APPA) has issued mutual aid commendations to eight NC Public Power member utilities for their electric power restoration efforts in February 2021.

We extend our wholehearted congratulations and appreciation to the following utilities receiving Mutual Aid Commendations:

The Town of Apex provided aid to the Town of Blackstone Light & Power Department, VA, and Danville Utilities, VA.
The City of Elizabeth City provided aid to the Town of Blackstone Light & Power Department, VA.
Fayetteville Public Works Commission provided aid to the City of High Point.
The City of New Bern provided aid to the City of High Point.
The City of Rocky Mount provided aid to the Town of Blackstone Light & Power Department, VA, and Danville Utilities, VA.
The City of Statesville provided aid to Danville Utilities, VA.
The Town of Tarboro provided aid to the Town of Blackstone Light & Power Department, VA, and Danville Utilities, VA.
The Town of Wake Forest provided aid to the Town of Blackstone Light & Power Department, VA.

Read more about these utilities’ mutual aid efforts in this article.

For more information on the American Public Power Association and its commitment to mutual aid, visit PublicPower.org/MutualAid.

8 ElectriCities of North Carolina Member Utilities Recognized with Safety Awards

Eight ElectriCities of North Carolina member utilities have earned the American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Safety Award of Excellence for safe operating practices in 2020.

We extend our congratulations to the 2020 Safety Award Honorees:

Gaffney Board of Public Works, SC: First Place in Group C (systems with 30,000 to 59,999 worker-hours of exposure)
Town of Granite Falls: First Place in Group B (systems with 15,000 to 29,999 worker-hours of exposure)
Greer Commission of Public Works, SC: First Place in Group B (systems with 15,000 to 29,999 worker-hours of exposure)
City of Kinston: First Place in Group C (systems with 30,000 to 59,999 worker-hours of exposure)
Laurens Commission of Public Works, SC: First Place in Group C (systems with 30,000 to 59,999 worker-hours of exposure)
City of Newberry, SC: First Place in Group B (systems with 15,000 to 29,999 worker-hours of exposure)
City of Shelby: Second Place in Group B (systems with 15,000 to 29,999 worker-hours of exposure)
Town of Smithfield: First Place in Group A (systems with less than 15,000 worker-hours of exposure)

“Creating and maintaining a top notch safety program takes a great deal of dedication and hard work,” said Craig Batchelor, ElectriCities Manager of Safety and Training. “I know these public power communities are very proud of their electric departments. Congratulations!”

According to a news release from the APPA, 129 utilities have earned the American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Safety Award of Excellence in 2020, out of 329 utilities from across the country that entered the annual safety awards.

Entrants were placed in categories according to their number of worker-hours and ranked based on the most incident-free records during 2020. Utilities’ incidence rate, used to judge entries, is based on the number of work-related reportable injuries or illnesses and the number of worker-hours during 2020, as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

“Utilities that receive an APPA Safety Award have demonstrated that they have made the health and safety of their employees a core value,” said Brandon Wylie, Chair of APPA’s Safety Committee and Director of Training & Safety at Electric Cities of Georgia. “Designing and maintaining a top-notch utility safety program takes a lot of hard work and commitment. These utilities and their communities should be very proud.”

The safety awards have been held annually for more than 65 years.

A full list of the NC Public Power utilities earning the APPA Safety Award is available at www.electricities.com. A national list of designees is available at www.PublicPower.org.

14 NC Public Power Communities Awarded RP3 Designation

Fourteen NC Public Power utilities have earned a Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3)® designation from the American Public Power Association for providing reliable and safe electric service, including two South Carolina and one Virginia ElectriCities Associate Member utilities.

The RP3 designation, which lasts for three years, recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement. Criteria include sound business practices and a utility-wide commitment to safe and reliable delivery of electricity. (Utility name) joins more than 270 public power utilities nationwide that hold the RP3 designation.

“It’s exciting to see the many achievements in North Carolina public power communities each year,” said ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones. “I am always impressed by the dedication and true commitment of public power communities, particularly throughout 2020 when cities and towns were faced with challenges no one could have anticipated. We are proud of these public power communities, and are grateful for their dedication to deliver safe and reliable power to their citizens.”

“I think over the last year or so, we’ve seen the vital importance of running a reliable and safe utility,” says Aaron Haderle, Chair of APPA’s RP3 Review Panel and Manager of Transmission and Distribution Operations at ‎Kissimmee Utility Authority, Florida. “The utilities receiving the RP3 designation have proven that they are committed to running a top-notch public power utility by implementing industry best practices.”

Congratulations to the 2021 Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3)® designated utilities:

City of Albemarle: Diamond level
City of High Point Electric Utility: Diamond level
Greenville Utilities Commission: Diamond level
City of Rock Hill, SC: Diamond level
Town of Smithfield: Diamond level
Wake Forest Power: Diamond level
Town of Granite Falls: Diamond level
City of Danville, VA – Department of Power & Light: Platinum level
City of Elizabeth City: Platinum level
City of Kinston: Platinum level
City of Shelby: Platinum level
City of Gastonia: Gold level
City of Lumberton: Gold level
City of Newberry, SC: Gold level

The fourteen utilities recognized this year are a part of 108 other utilities earning the designation in 2021, joining a total of 270 of the more than 2,000 public power utilities nation-wide that hold the RP3 designation. In North Carolina alone, 24 Public Power communities collectively hold RP3 designations.

A full list of the NC Public Power utilities earning the RP3 designation is available at www.electricities.com. A national list of designees is available at www.PublicPower.org.

February Brought Winter Storms, Mutual Aid

While North Carolina has experienced one of the wettest winters on record, the state has mostly avoided the larger ice events our neighbors to the north have encountered. As a result, February has been a busy month for mutual aid for our members. Once again, our public power communities have stepped up to the plate and overdelivered on the mutual aid front.

In mid-February, a winter storm hit Virginia particularly hard, bringing snow and ice to many parts of the state. ElectriCities Associate Member Danville, VA had widespread damage and requested assistance which was answered by Apex, Rocky Mount, Statesville, and Tarboro. These North Carolina members all sent crews to Danville to support restoration efforts.

Blackstone, VA – another public power community in Virginia – was hit hard by the same storm and had their entire system taken down during the storm’s peak. Elizabeth City and Wake Forest responded to Blackstone’s aid, with an additional Rocky Mount crew transferring from Danville to Blackstone to lend a hand.

Then on February 17, a second winter storm hit the region before restoration work was complete in Virginia communities. While the storm was predicted to have major impacts on North Carolina, our neighbors to the north received the brunt of the storm. In preparation for the storm, Fayetteville PWC and New Bern offered crews to be pre-staged in High Point. ElectriCities also coordinated with South Carolina communities to meet additional pre-staging needs in Virginia.

We were also able to coordinate with Electric Cities of Georgia to help bring multiple crews from Georgia to provide additional assistance to co-ops in North Carolina – a great example of the strength of our mutual aid network.

All in all, North Carolina public power was fortunate in both storm events and did not see the ice accumulation predicted. Our gratitude and thanks to all North Carolina public power communities for their willingness to lend a hand and help our neighbors!

Winter Storm Update

We are continuing to monitor the winter storm that impacted North Carolina this past week. At this point, North Carolina public power has been fortunate and has not seen the ice accumulation predicted. Currently, there are no calls for assistance in North Carolina. As always, the ElectriCities Emergency Assistance Program (EAP) stands ready to support those who may need assistance.

Our gratitude and thanks to all North Carolina public power communities. Stay safe!

Member Utility Resources

View the Outage Map
Emergency Assistance Resources

Customer Resources

For the latest storm updates, visit our Social Hub.

Faces of Public Power: Amber Gray

Audits, Analysis, and Hunting

Amber Gray has a keen eye for detail. In her day-to-day as the Energy Management Specialist for City of New Bern, that eye allows her to expertly determine causes of extremely high energy consumption; administer heat pump and water heater rebate programs; coordinate energy audits; and compile and analyze data on key accounts. And in her personal life, it means she’s a decent deer hunter — or at least a happy one. “My fiancé and I hunt together and it’s something we both enjoy,” Amber says. “We have good times together.”

As a New Bern native, Amber is no stranger to the public power community, although she’s only worked for the city for about 8 months since April 2020. Her professional background is in financial analysis, so jumping into the energy field is a good change of pace, she says. “There are a lot of moving components and nothing ever stays the same. Every day I’m constantly learning something. It’s never boring!”

Among Amber’s many tasks are daily commercial account reviews, and recently her eye for detail paid off big-time for one customer. Amber noticed that the energy consumption of Bear City Fudge Company, a local small business, had tripled over the past few months. She contacted the owner, who hadn’t noticed the increase due to having bills paid by auto-draft. “It wasn’t changing their daily operations and they weren’t physically touching their bills, so they hadn’t realized their energy had tripled,” Amber says. “I contacted ElectriCities and we conducted a commercial energy audit.” The audit found an issue with the company’s HVAC unit. After HVAC repairs, Bear City Fudge’s consumption returned to a normal range, much to the owner’s relief. “It was a pretty big catch,” Amber admits, but she insists, “I don’t want to make it a big deal though. This is my job!”

When she’s off the clock, you’re likely to find Amber outdoors and suited up in camouflage. “When I was younger, hunting was a pastime I did with my dad,” she says. She hadn’t hunted since her teenage years until meeting her fiancé, City of New Bern police officer Jeb, who is an avid hunter. “He renewed my hobby.” While Jeb enjoys hunting turkey and deer — “we’re planning the wedding around turkey and deer seasons,” she says with a laugh — Amber sticks to deer. And up next: “Jeb is going to teach me how to bow hunt.”

After a good hunt, they like to come home to a taco dinner. “I am a huge, huge, huge taco lover,” Amber says. “Everyone knows that Amber = tacos. It’s always Mexican night in my house.” With four children between them, it’s a good way to feed a crowd before they’re off to gymnastics or cheerleading competitions, or just keeping up with Amber’s 4-year-old son. “We stay busy!”

Pro Tip: The Value of Reviewing Commercial Accounts

Be your customers’ biggest advocate by scheduling regular check-ins on commercial and key accounts. Amber Gray, Energy Management Specialist at the Department of New Bern, shares the simple and effective practice her department follows.

“Each of our commercial clients are scheduled to have a commercial rate review. We review the past 12 months to see if their rates need to be adjusted or if anything seems out of the ordinary. Because these reviews are part of my daily to-do list, we touch every commercial account. If something doesn’t look right, we first check behind-the-scenes to see if there’s anything we need to correct. If not, we contact the customer and ask a few questions. Sometimes we also schedule an energy audit. We offer suggestions and work on solutions together.”

We Want to Hear from You!

We want to shine a light on the folks who keep the lights on, the faces behind the public power that drives our communities. We’ll be sharing a few stories about our team here at ElectriCities, from what inspires us to some of our favorite hobbies.

But this isn’t just about us. We want to hear from you! Do you have an employee who goes above and beyond? What about a team member or leader with an impressive extracurricular accomplishment? Let us know by sending your stories and ideas here.

Grant Funding Available for Level 2 Charging Stations

In late 2019, North Carolina kicked off the first of its zero-emission vehicle programs using funds from a national settlement with Volkswagen. The DC Fast Charge Program focused on stations installed on segments of interstates or future interstates, which was exciting news for many of our member communities located along those key highway segments.

“We had successful DC Fast Charge Proposals in Morganton, Lexington, New Bern, Kinston, and Wilson,” says Phil Bisesi, ElectriCities Supervisor of Residential Energy Services. (Next time you find yourself passing through one of these communities, keep an eye out for their brand-new energy-efficient options!)

We continue to usher in the future of energy. Plug-in electric vehicles, also known as electric cars or EVs, are cost effective and environmentally friendly, making them an advantage for our customers — and an opportunity for public power utilities. Beginning January 2021, eligible communities will be able to apply for funding reimbursement for Level 2 Charging Stations.

There are a few different types of EVs, with the common denominator being that they plug-in to charge from an electric power source. In the wake of a national settlement with Volkswagen, North Carolina has and will continue to receive funds designated specifically for zero-emission vehicle programs. The first round focused on DC Fast Charging stations, and now there are opportunities for the Level 2 Charge Program.

“Level 2 stations could be in any community downtown,” says Phil Bisesi, ElectriCities Supervisor of Residential Energy Services. “These stations are less expensive and they don’t charge quite as quickly. They are more appropriate for a workplace parking lot or a downtown square area, where a car might be able to plug-in for multiple hours.”

The Volkswagen settlement funds are a rebate-style program, where communities must purchase and install the charging stations before receiving reimbursement of up to $5,000 per charging station. Cities can apply for multiple charging station locations and receive up to $25,000. Eligible projects will be pre-approved by the state and a key detail is that the charging station must be accessible to the general public.

Proposals will be accepted beginning January 25 for Level 2 Charging Stations.

Bisesi recommends using the time between now and then to get your ducks in a row if you’re interested in applying. “Start by deciding where you might want to put a Level 2 charger,” he says. For a full list of what details you should consider, visit the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality website’s information center here. Once you’ve reviewed the nuts and bolts, contact us for assistance through the process. “We are always here to help,” Bisesi says.

Interested in applying for a grant for an EV Charging Station?

The State of North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) released the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Level 2 ZEV Infrastructure Rebate Program under the Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust.

What can you do to prepare?
Between now and early January, interested applicants should:

Download and become familiar with the Rebate RFP here
Begin researching possible vendor partners that could help provide equipment quotes and possibly technical support for the application
Begin the registration process for an NCID by following the instructions here (once completed, you will receive an email with steps to activate your account)
Complete the DAQ Access Authorization Form.
Complete the State of North Carolina Substitute W-9 Form
Email the DAQ Access Authorization and State of North Carolina Substitute W-9 Forms to svc.NCVWApplication@ncdenr.gov with “Level 2 Program” in the subject line.

VW Rebate Q&A Webinar: January 13, 2021 at 1:00 pm
A second question and answer webinar will be held from 1pm – 2:30pm on January 13, 2021, for interested stakeholders and applicants. You may register from the link on the Level 2 Program webpage or by following this link. During this webinar, staff will answer questions regarding requesting new user access to the DAQ Grants Management System, the Request for Proposals, Level 2 application details, and required documentation.

The recording of the Applicant Level 2 Webinar held on December 11, 2020, is now viewable on DAQ’s webpage in the Workshop Documents tab.

NC GreenPower’s Solar+ Schools Grant Program Open for Applications

NC GreenPower, an independent nonprofit working to expand public knowledge of cleaner energy technologies to North Carolinians, has opened the application period for its annual Solar+ Schools grant program as of January 2, 2021. Solar+ Schools, started in 2015, provides grants to install educational solar PV systems at K-12 schools in the state.

All K-12 schools in North Carolina are eligible to apply. The grant application window will close February 28. If you think a school in your community would be a good fit for the program, we encourage you to share this information with them.

NC GreenPower has provided several resources to help communities spread the word:

NC GreenPower Solar+ Schools Media Kit – contains post samples and graphics for email and social media use both before the grant opens (December 2020) and during the application period (January-February 2021).
FAQ – contains background information on NC GreenPower and FAQs about the Solar+ Schools program.

Customer Donation Option

Utilities can also provide customers with the option to contribute to NC GreenPower through their utility bill. The program is designed to support renewable energy, carbon offset projects, and provide grants for educational solar installations at K-12 schools in North Carolina. For every $4 donated, 125 kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable energy is supplied to the electric grid in North Carolina. Each donation also supports the Solar+ Schools program in the state. Click here to read more.

For more information, or if your utility would like to become involved, please reach out to Vicky McCann at vmccann@ncgreenpower.org. You can also read more ways to get involved here.

Faces of Public Power: the Internal Services Team

Nice to Meet You

On to the Next Adventure
Barbara Scheib, ElectriCities Manager of Internal Services, is a Jack of all trades. Make that a Jill. Actually: “I think of Jill as a young name, so I’m the Esther of all trades!” she says with a laugh. In her 25 years at ElectriCities she has worked in administrative roles, in purchasing, in HR, and now in her current role overseeing any and everything related to the daily operations of our building, fleet management, copy services, and mail systems. “There is no typical day,” she says. “We come in, we check our email, see what anybody needs that day, and get to work.”

2020 has added even more curveballs to the mix. “We are so connected to the building that we pretty much can’t work from home,” Barbara says. “We can check emails, but it’s not like being here at the copier, or being here at the mail machine.” Her team has also managed shipping PPE equipment to member communities, another in-person task. While most of the ElectriCities staff will continue to work from home through at least February, Barbara and her two colleagues still hold down the fort at the Raleigh HQ. “It’s very strange … the building is pretty empty,” she says.

Luckily, Barbara embodies adaptability — it’s why she’s an effective Internal Services Manager. And it’s a trait she’ll emphasize even more when she retires at the end of January. “In retirement, the first thing my husband and I are going to do is take a 6-month road trip across the U.S. and into Alaska,” Barbara says. While she does normally like a bit of a plan, on this trip the sky is the limit. “We’re going to just get in the car and drive. We have two reservations: at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and the ferry in Alaska. Other than that, we’re just flying by the seat of our pants. Where we end up at night is where we end up at night and we’ll stay in a hotel wherever we are.”

After that exciting six months, Barbara and her husband will return to their new house in Pinehurst, where they’ll have plenty of time to devote to their shared passion: golfing.

Back here at ElectriCities, Barbara’s team is ready to hold down the fort. She works with two fellow “Jack/Jills of all trades,” Senior Copy Services Coordinator Gwen Newkirk and Mail Services Coordinator Jason Hogan. “They both do a whole lot more than mail,” Barbara explains. “If you need it, they can do it.”

Learn more about the Internal Services team below, and join us in wishing Barbara a bon voyage on her retirement adventure.

Barbara Scheib, Manager of Internal Services

3 things I can’t live without: my family, duct tape and WD40, campfires by the fire pit
One of my favorite holiday traditions is… spending Christmas Eve night with my siblings (I’m still a kid at heart!)
To the (imaginary) ElectriCities potluck, I’m bringing… sausage dressing

Gwen Newkirk, Senior Copy Services Coordinator

3 things I can’t live without: my family, my shoes, and good friends
One of my favorite holiday traditions is… my family and I get together to try to make sweet potato pies
To the (imaginary) ElectriCities potluck, I’m bringing… mashed potatoes
Contact Gwen here

Jason Hogan, Mail Services Coordinator

3 things I can’t live without: my dog, Italian food, live sports
One of my favorite holiday traditions is… Friendsgiving
To the (imaginary) ElectriCities potluck, I’m bringing… chicken riggies (Utica, NY dish)
Contact Jason here

We Want to Hear from You!

APPA Recognizes Outstanding Mutual Aid Assistance

We thank and honor the extraordinary individuals who, at nature’s worst, showed their best. The record-breaking 2020 hurricane season has officially ended, after producing 30 named storms, 13 of which became hurricanes, including 6 major hurricanes. (For comparison, an average season brings 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes.) This is the most storms on record, surpassing the 28 in 2005, and the second-highest number of hurricanes on record. And every storm hit on top of the COVID-19 pandemic, rapidly and constantly impacting lineworker response protocol. Despite all these challenges, public power showed up.

It was a tough storm season all around, and it revealed the true, committed soul of our public power utilities. In times of crisis, the ElectriCities Emergency Assistance Program provides a network of support, bringing public power workers together to restore, rebuild, and get the power back on safely. We all work together to organize restoration efforts and ensure those efforts are directed exactly where they’re needed.

During every hurricane season, our member communities’ mutual aid assistance is outstanding. But we know that’s just when it takes center stage – public power teams go above and beyond all year long to help their fellow communities.

We extend our wholehearted congratulations and appreciation to the following American Public Power Association 2020 Mutual Aid Commendation Award recipients!

The City of Concord provided aid to the Town of Drexel.
Fayetteville Public Works Commission provided aid to the City of Morganton.
The City of Gastonia provided aid to the Town of Dallas and the Town of Drexel.
The City of High Point provided aid to the City of Danville, VA, Lafayette Utilities System, LA, the City of New Bern, SLEMCO, LA, Sevier County Electric System, TN, and the City of Statesville.
The City of Kings Mountain provided aid to the Town of Granite Falls.
The City of Monroe provided aid to the City of Newton.
The City of Newton provided aid to the Town of Maiden and the City of Morganton.
The City of Rocky Mount provided aid to the Town of Belhaven, the City of Danville, VA, SLEMCO, LA, the City of St. Martinsville, LA, Sevier County Electric System, TN, and the City of Washington.
The City of Shelby provided aid to the City of Statesville.
The City of Statesville provided aid to the City of New Bern, Lafayette Utilities System, LA, and Sevier County Electric System, TN.
The Town of Tarboro provided aid to the Town of Edenton and the Town of Scotland Neck.
The City of Wake Forest provided aid to the City of Lexington, Lafayette Utilities System, LA, SLEMCO, LA, the City of Statesville, and the Town of Windsor.
Wilson Energy provided aid to the City of Washington, Duke Energy, and Knoxville Utilities Board, TN.