The newly elected and re-elected members of the ElectriCities Board of Directors have officially been sworn into office. Please join us in welcoming everyone!
New to the board are:
James M. Johnson (Wilson)
Lloyd Payne (Concord)
Thurman Ross, Jr. (Cornelius)
Re-elected to the board are:
Whitney Brooks (Lexington)
Troy Lewis (Tarboro)
John M. Stiver (Newton)
The 2024 officers of the ElectriCities board are:
Chairman: Troy Lewis (Tarboro)
Vice Chairman: Costi Kutteh (Statesville)
Secretary: Charles D. Nichols, III (Laurinburg)
Remaining board members are:
Mayor Eddie Braxton (Scotland Neck
Anthony C. Cannon (Greenville Utilities Commission)
Jim Gallagher (Gastonia)
Rick Howell (Shelby)
Randy McCaslin (High Point)
Kipling D. “Kip” Padgett (Wake Forest)
Jonathan Rynne (Fayetteville Public Works Commission)
Robert “Robbie” Swinson, IV (Kinston)
ElectriCities’ 16-member Board of Directors advises and directs the activities and policies for North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number 1, North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency, and ElectriCities of North Carolina. Board members serve three-year terms.
Judge Allegra Collins (far right) swore in newly elected and re-elected ElectriCities board members on Jan. 26, 2024. Board members, left to right: Lloyd Payne; Thurman Ross, Jr.; Troy Lewis; John M. Stiver; Whitney Brooks; and James M. Johnson.
Board members were sworn in and officers were elected during the ElectriCities Board of Directors meeting on Jan. 26, 2024.
“Congratulations to our newly elected and re-elected members and to this year’s officers,” said ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones. “A big thank you to outgoing Board Chairman, Randy McCaslin, for his service and leadership this past year as the Board’s work has continued on public power’s strategic plan.”
“Many thanks also to Judge Allegra Collins from the North Carolina Court of Appeals for joining us again this year to swear in the newly elected and re-elected board members,” Jones said. “I look forward to working with this distinguished group dedicated to helping ensure a bright future for public power in our region.”
ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., presented 15 North Carolina communities with Public Power Awards of Excellence at ElectriCities’ 2023 Annual Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The awards reflect public power’s strategic priorities, recognizing exceptional achievement during 2022 for the following categories: Future-focused, Strengthen Public Power, Provide Superior Power, Customer-centered Innovation, and People.
To continue the celebration, we’re sharing more about each award category and highlighting a few of the communities whose efforts stand out. As you learn about the endeavors in public power communities throughout our region, it becomes clear that excellence lives here.
The Provide Superior Power Award celebrates communities that deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable electric power.
Communities that received this award created programs that benefit the municipality and the customers while providing the safest, most reliable power.
2022 Winners:
Fayetteville PWC
Greenville Utilities Commission
Kinston
New Bern
New River Light & Power
Rocky Mount
Tarboro
Wilson
Wilson Energy, the City of Wilson’s electric and gas divisions, Provides Superior Power by implementing energy reduction efforts across its electric system.
Wilson Energy uses multiple touchpoints to reduce energy, including generators, load control switches, newly replaced capacitor banks, and voltage reduction. Wilson Energy also replaced all active street, area, and floodlights with energy-efficient LED luminaires.
Upon request, Wilson Energy customers can receive free residential energy audits. During these audits, Wilson Energy personnel show customers ways to lower their utility bills.
The City of New Bern Provides Superior Power by enhancing demand-side management efforts with demand response programs such as the City’s CONNECTS Load Management Rewards program. Customers who participate in the program receive credits on their utility bills for installing devices on water heaters, heat strips, air conditioners, and water sources such as pool pumps. The City also has an appliance rebate program for upgrading HVAC and water heaters.
New Bern’s dynamic electric vehicle charging rates encourage off-peak charging, further enhancing load management.
The ElectriCities Safety and Training team brings several careers’ worth of experience and expertise to help lineworkers, meter technicians, and substation technicians throughout ElectriCities member communities gain the skills and expertise needed to work safely and advance their careers.
Over the next several months, we’ll introduce you to each of our instructors.
Mark Todd, ElectriCities Senior Safety & Training Specialist
Mark has been an ElectriCities instructor for 12 years and a lineworker for over 30. He’s a Navy veteran who grew up in Rockingham, North Carolina. Mark’s best friend is his wife. They have four children and four grandchildren.
How did you get into linework?
I never wanted to be average. For me, this means performing a job or having a career that the average person could not do, and most people would not do. As a young boy growing up and having a father who was a lineman, I saw how people respected what he did. I remember how family and friends would call the house to check on him during a major storm. I was hesitant about trying to follow in his footsteps at first. I knew I would never be the lineman that he was. My father taught me to take pride not in the career I chose, or the title I may hold, but in how well I did the job.
What do you like best about teaching?
Being given the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life and career. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing former students become successful in their career and to think I may have had something to do with that.
Do you have a favorite class or school to teach? I enjoy teaching all the schools, but Climbing School has always been a favorite because the students are young and eager to learn.
What’s a favorite moment from class? When I began teaching, I incorporated “Words of Wisdom.” On the last day of every school before everyone goes home, we instructors share last words of wisdom that we feel may help the students work safely throughout their careers.
Mark Todd teaches lineworkers about equal potential grounding.
What’s the most important thing you want students to take away from class? Do not get distracted, stay focused, and stay safe. Accidents and injuries that we think could never happen to us happen all the time to SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE.
Anything else you’d like to share? I believe that getting a person to follow the safety rules cannot be enforced. It must be inspired. In my class, whether you like it or not, that’s exactly what you’ll will get.
ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., presented 15 North Carolina communities with Public Power Awards of Excellence at ElectriCities’ 2023 Annual Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The awards reflect public power’s strategic priorities, recognizing exceptional achievement during 2022 for the following categories: Future-focused, Strengthen Public Power, Provide Superior Power, Customer-centered Innovation, and People.
The celebration shouldn’t end there. That’s why we’re sharing more about each award category and highlighting a few of the communities whose efforts stand out. As you learn about the endeavors in public power communities throughout our region, it becomes clear that excellence lives here.
The Strengthen Public Power Award celebrates communities that build public and political support for public power.
These communities educate their public power customers, local elected officials, and state and federal decision-makers about the value public power provides, including exceptional reliability, local jobs, and community investment.
2022 Winners:
Albemarle
Apex
Fayetteville PWC
Granite Falls
Greenville Utilities Commission
Hamilton
Kinston
New Bern
New River Light and Power
Rocky Mount
Wilson
The City of Rocky Mount Strengthens Public Power through unique interactions in the community.
Each year, Rocky Mount Energy Resources plans a large Public Power Week celebration at the community’s annual Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down. This two-day festival in downtown Rocky Mount includes live music, a barbecue competition, vendors, community, and family activities.
Energy Resources helps sponsor the event and sets up several stations there to educate the community on electricity safety, electric meters, energy audits, energy efficiency, weatherization, and load management.
The Energy Resources team advertises the Public Power Week activities in the City’s monthly newsletter, on social media, in the local newspaper, on the City’s Government Channel TV19, on the City’s digital billboard, and in radio spots and television commercials.
Rocky Mount also uses those and other communications channels to educate its energy customers year-round on topics such as energy conservation, storm preparation and safety, and the difference between customer-owned equipment and utility-owned equipment. On social media, Energy Resources shares photos and stories of employees participating at school events and career days, being recognized at special events, participating in safety training, and working to keep the community powered.
Representatives from Energy Resources attend City Council meetings to share the department’s significant achievements.
The Town of Granite Falls Strengthens Public Power by educating and advocating to state legislators.
The Town Manager visits the area’s representatives in the General Assembly at least twice per session and calls or emails them as needed to advocate for public power and to communicate issues impacting the utility or its customers.
The Town of Granite Falls invites legislators to attend at least one Town Council meeting per year to discuss happenings in the General Assembly. Doing so enables Town representatives and state legislators to build relationships instead of communicating only when something is needed.
ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., presented 15 North Carolina communities with Public Power Awards of Excellence at ElectriCities’ 2023 Annual Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The awards reflect public power’s strategic priorities, recognizing exceptional achievement during 2022 for the following categories: Future-focused, Strengthen Public Power, Provide Superior Power, Customer-centered Innovation, and People.
The celebration shouldn’t end there. Over the next few months, every two weeks, you’ll learn about each award category and a few of the communities whose efforts stand out. You’ll see why, in public power communities throughout our region, it’s clear that excellence lives here.
The Future-focused Award celebrates communities that develop a future-focused mindset. Future-focused utilities are built on strong fundamentals. They have a defined purpose, and they know how they provide value to customers. They utilize talented employees to innovate, solve problems, and take decisive action, resulting in long-term success for their community.
2022 Winners:
Albemarle
Fayetteville PWC
Greenville Utilities Commission
Kinston
New Bern
New River Light & Power
The City of Albemarle exemplifies Future-focused by fully funding an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system that enables customers to monitor their daily energy usage and increase their access and visibility into their energy services. The AMI project represents the implementation of a goal in the City’s robust 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.
Greenville Utilities Commission (GUC) recognized the growing need for electric vehicle (EV) charging for future electrification of the transportation sector in their service territory. GUC engaged Sagewell to conduct an Electric Vehicle Analysis to assist GUC with long-term planning to address this future-focused need.
As a result of the long-term planning efforts, GUC continues to invest in and market their current EV Charging Rebate Program, as well as develop EV-specific rate schedules to promote off-peak charging.
We’re kicking off the new year with boisterous cheers of “Congratulations!” to Maiden’s Angel Ingram and Rose Edwards, the very first certified ElectriCities Customer Service Professionals!
While Angel and Rose are both experienced customer services reps—Angel with five years and Rose with about 20—they’re new to supporting an electric utility.
The Town of Maiden’s Angel Ingram and Rose Edwards are the first certified ElectriCities Customer Service Professionals
That makes a big difference, said Jessica White, Finance Director for the Town of Maiden, who supervises the Town’s CSRs.
“When you come into a public sector position—especially one that deals with utilities and the electric side—there’s no script or manual that says, ‘If someone calls in and says my bill is too high, tell them this,’ she said. “That’s because any number of things could cause a high bill.”
And that’s where ElectriCities’ Customer Service Professional Certificate Program helps. The program consists of four customer service classes and a 50-question exam.
Dale Odom, Manager of Retail Energy Services at ElectriCities, leads the classes, bringing expertise he’s gained from nearly 30 years in public power customer service.
“Jessica’s right. Knowledge of policies, rate schedules, and the electric industry doesn’t come naturally—that’s why we developed this training,” Dale said. “It prepares CSRs for handling crucial conversations that help form a positive relationship with your community, and the accompanying credential validates their knowledge, expertise, and dedication to supporting your utility customers.”
“I was able to get insight on a lot that I didn’t know about before,” Angel said. “Now I’m able to look at a customer’s bill and tell them why it’s high or low.” Angel said she’s more confident answering customers’ questions. The training even helped her realize that she knew more answers than she thought she did.
“Along with the techniques, tools, and tips attendees learn in class, one of the big benefits of this training is learning along with other CSRs,” Dale said. “Exchanging ideas, sharing what has worked and what hasn’t, and building off each other’s experience goes a long way to increasing a CSR’s confidence in all types of customer interactions.”
Rose said she found that aspect especially informative. “We were in class with some people from bigger towns, so it was beneficial seeing what they do compared to what we do.”
Jessica said she encourages everyone on her team to keep learning and to attend training when possible.
“The more knowledge you have, the more tools in your toolbox, the more confident you can be in your job,” she said. “I wouldn’t be a good manager if I didn’t want to see my staff succeed.”
Congratulations, Angel and Rose! And thanks for helping strengthen public power in Maiden and beyond.
For more information on customer service training and the ElectriCities Customer Service Professional Certificate Program, contact Dale Odom.
When it comes to receiving information about a power outage, 78% of North Carolina public power residents want a text message, according to results from the 2023 N.C. Public Power Retail Customer Survey.
That’s no surprise to the Town of Apex’s Electric Utilities department.
Emily Woody, Electric Programs and Technology Coordinator for the Town of Apex, has been listening to the utility’s customers for nearly 20 years.
When those customers reacted positively to the idea of receiving outage texts in the 2019 N.C. Public Power Retail Customer Survey, Emily said she started investigating options. After similar customer survey responses in 2022, she put it in the department’s budget.
Emily and team launched the Town’s texting program, called TextOut, on Oct. 10, 2022, with a welcome text to customers. From Day 1, the response was even better than expected, with a noticeable drop in the number of calls to the Town’s voice response system within a few months.
“We text customers alerting them to power outages, restoration timing, emergency repair work, and other helpful information,” Emily said. “We’re able to let residents know that we know their power is out, which cuts down on inquiries through our Interactive Voice Response System, our customer service reps, our website, and our app.”
This post on the Town of Apex’s Facebook page announces the launch of the Town’s TextOut program.
A few things that contributed to their success:
To educate customers well before the text program’s launch, they developed a communications campaign with the help of ElectriCities’ Customized City Project program. The campaign included messaging on utility bill inserts, posters, social media, and the Town’s website. They also created a few videos describing the service.
They auto-enrolled every customer, giving customers the ability to opt out. The opt-out rate from launch to December 2023 is only 3.12%. That’s a tremendous success by all accounts.
All the pre-launch communication helped drive that success rate, Kerrin Cox, Communications Coordinator for the Town of Apex, told us. “We wanted residents to get the welcome text message and know it was from the Town and legitimate.”
The team went with the text messaging tool, TextPower, since it would integrate well with DataVoice, the outage management system the utility already had in place.
Emily worked with TextPower to ensure the customer enrollment list constantly renews. “TextPower pulls from our customer information system daily to ensure any new customers are automatically enrolled and customers who move out of the service area are automatically unenrolled,” she said.
A helpful feature is being able to text groups within the electric department. Emily explained, “If I need to get information to the lineworkers or the tree crew, I can text just the lineworkers or just the tree crew.” It works across departments as well and can be billed separately to each department.
In fact, Apex’s Water Resources department is using TextPower with DataVoice to communicate with customers about water issues.
Kerrin said it’s important to remember that the text tool is a recurring charge. “It’s something communities need to budget for in perpetuity.”
For Apex, it’s money well spent. Kerrin said the response to the rollout and to the program has been incredibly positive. “This added feature increases our ability to communicate with residents in a way they prefer and trust, which helps us create a more welcoming community,” she said.
RALEIGH, N.C. — ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., has designated a 374-acre Smart Site in Ayden, North Carolina, a public power community. The designation guarantees that the prime industrial rail-served site has met stringent requirements and is shovel-ready for new development.
“Smart Sites® designation takes the guesswork out of an industrial site, expediting development for new and expanding businesses,” said Carl Rees, ElectriCities Manager of Economic and Community Development. “That’s especially valuable with the shorter lead times that are becoming common for industrial projects.”
Local and state officials join Ayden Mayor Steve Tripp to debut and celebrate Ayden’s new Smart Site on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.
“During the certification process, the ElectriCities team performs exhaustive due diligence, including environmental reviews, geotechnical reviews, preliminary infrastructure studies, and facility siting studies, readying the site for industrial permitting at local, state, and federal levels,” Rees said.
The stand-alone industrial site in Ayden has the added benefit of having a CSX rail line on-site. Plans are underway to develop a rail-served industrial building pad through funding secured from the North Carolina Railroad Company. The overall site can accommodate more than 2 million square feet of industrial space.
Located on NC-11 South, the new Ayden Smart Site is approximately:
5 miles from Pitt Community College
12 miles from East Carolina University
15 miles from Pitt-Greenville Airport
The Town of Ayden supplies the site’s electricity and water, and Greenville Utilities Commission is the site’s natural gas provider.
ElectriCities created the Smart Sites program in 2014 to help its public power member communities—cities and towns that own and operate their electric systems—prepare shovel-ready sites for economic development. Potential sites must meet specific requirements and undergo an extensive review process by site selection experts. Each site must have municipal electric service, have water and sewer access within 500 feet, and be within 5 miles of an interstate or interstate-quality highway. ElectriCities markets Smart Sites at trade shows and industry events around the world to get the word out about prime development sites in North Carolina public power communities.
“We are so appreciative of the opportunities that the ElectriCities Smart Sites designation has opened up for the Ayden Rail Site,” said Kelly Andrews, Pitt County Economic Development Director. “As this is the only rail site under development in Pitt County, the Smart Sites program has made it possible to submit for the many leads that have come our way requesting a rail-served site.”
Since public power communities own their electric system, they maintain local control and decision making over their operations, providing unbeaten reliability, local jobs, and support for their local economy. That local control also means public power communities have more resources and agility when negotiating with prospective businesses.
“This site will prove to be a great asset for all of Eastern North Carolina,” said Mallory Denham, Economic Development Director for the Town of Ayden.
To learn more about Ayden’s new Smart Site, contact Mallory Denham at 252-481-5831 or ElectriCities at sites@electricities.org.
ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., received an Excellence in Public Power Communications Award from the American Public Power Association. APPA recognized ElectriCities with an Award of Excellence in the Print & Digital category for its 2022 Value of Public Power campaign.
The campaign provided educational messaging to regional public power customers and the elected officials who represent them.
“For years, many of our members’ customer surveys revealed that a surprising number of public power customers didn’t know they were served by a public power provider or, sometimes, what public power is,” said Elizabeth Kadick, Vice President of Communications at ElectriCities. “As public power communities continue to face evolving customer expectations, additional competitive pressures, and the potential for adverse legislation and regulation, the need to educate public power customers and their elected officials about the incredible value public power providers bring to their communities has become even more important.”
In one element of the Value of Public Power campaign, ElectriCities served geographically targeted digital ads to North Carolina public power customers on Google and social media sites, including Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, and Twitter, now known as X. The campaign also included radio ads, targeted broadcast ads, community sponsorship events, and toolkits made available to ElectriCities members to help them promote public power in their local communities.
“As communicators, we’ve always showcased the value of public power across all communication channels, but this structured, focused, and measured approach is a first for us,” Kadick said. “Given the campaign’s response rate, impact, and importance, it’s one we’re continuing for the foreseeable future, evolving ad placement and messaging as metrics dictate.”
ElectriCities Vice President of Communications, Elizabeth Kadick (right), accepts the 2023 Excellence in Public Power Communications Award from Joe Gehrdes, Director – External Relations with Huntsville Utilities, who served as Vice Chair, Customer Connections Section
The national awards were presented during APPA’s Customer Connections Conference in San Antonio, Texas, and recognize public power organizations demonstrating excellence in communication in three categories: Print & Digital, Web & Social Media, and Video. An outside panel of communications experts from around the country judged this year’s submissions.
“We’re proud to showcase the value of public power and to be recognized on the national level for the important work we do on behalf of our member communities every day,” Kadick said.
About the American Public Power Association
The American Public Power Association (APPA) is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide. APPA represents public power before the federal government to protect the interests of the more than 49 million people that public power utilities serve and the 96,000 people they employ. The association advocates and advises on electricity policy, technology, trends, training, and operations. Learn more at www.publicpower.org.
About ElectriCities of North Carolina
ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., is the membership organization that provides power supply and related critical services to over 90 community-owned electric systems in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia—collectively known as public power. ElectriCities manages the power supply for two power agencies in North Carolina and provides technical services to assist members in operating their electric distribution systems. ElectriCities also helps these locally owned and operated public power providers thrive today and in the future by delivering innovative services, including legislative, technical, communications, and economic development expertise.
Visit www.electricities.com to learn more about the benefits of public power and how ElectriCities helps communities keep the lights on through access to safe, reliable, and affordable energy.
Two North Carolina public power communities, Smithfield and Hertford, will receive $10,000 each to help achieve their downtown revitalization goals and spur economic development. That’s thanks to Downtown Revitalization Grants from ElectriCities.
The Town of Smithfield’s grant proceeds will help fund the Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation’s Light Up Downtown Smithfield initiative, which is part of an overall effort aimed at increasing the vibrancy of the downtown, encouraging additional pedestrian activity, and increasing the visibility of Downtown Smithfield businesses.
The Town will use its funding to improve lighting in three downtown areas by connecting parking lots and alleys in the town center, encouraging continued foot traffic for businesses and restaurants.
“About 20 years ago, Smithfield completed an alley improvement project that included lights for pedestrian safety,” said Sarah Edwards, Executive Director of the Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation. “Today, we need to upgrade those older lights in the alley and add more lights to encourage people to enjoy the downtown area in the evening. We‘re also adding lights in other areas to improve the visual appearance of our downtown.”
A portion of Smithfield’s grant funding will support downlighting for an Ava Gardner mural painted by North Carolina artist Jeks. The mural, which features images of the Smithfield native turned Hollywood actress, is on the side of the Ava Gardner Museum that celebrates the star and attracts visitors from around the world. Adding lighting will make the mural more visible—quite literally highlighting one of Smithfield’s unique assets.
“This grant from ElectriCities will provide an immediate impact by increasing lighting that will enhance the appearance of our charming downtown and promote additional pedestrian activity,” Edwards said. “We expect that completing this project will encourage other public and private lighting projects as well. It’s a real win-win for Smithfield.”
The Town of Hertford will use its Downtown Revitalization Grant to help implement its Community and River Front Plan focused on art installations to attract tourism and improve the economic environment.
Like many towns in 2020, Hertford experienced a downturn in business and tourism during the pandemic. Looking ahead, Hertford participated in the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Community Economic Recovery and Resiliency Initiative to help with recovery and to build resiliency for future potential economic impact.
As a result, the Town rebranded as a “cultivating the arts” community. Hertford’s plan focuses on visual arts, theater, music, dance, and culinary arts designed to attract visitors to the downtown area.
One of the ways Hertford plans to convey its art-focused brand is through murals and sculptures. That’s where the Downtown Revitalization Grant will help.
“One of the sculptures we’re commissioning is intended for people to take photos in front of and will be placed outside the Chamber of Commerce,” said Hertford Town Manager Janice McKenzie Cole. “This will allow us to monitor the sculpture’s success and help us plan our next installations.”
Installing the sculpture is especially timely since the Harbor Towns ferries and dinner boat will soon provide service to Hertford and other communities along the Inner Banks and the Albemarle Sound.
“By having an arts-focused district, we will promote a diverse collection of talents to engage those looking at Hertford as a unique destination,” said Cole.
ElectriCities awards the competitive Downtown Revitalization Grants twice a year—each spring and fall—to its members in the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (NCEMPA) and in North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number 1 (NCMPA1). Grant proceeds must be used for projects that advance the community’s downtown revitalization goals and are approved by the city or town manager or chief executive.
Congratulations to these latest grant recipients! The next cycle for ElectriCities Downtown Revitalization Grants opens in spring 2024.
