Archives: Articles

Are You Billing All Your Customers?

Having unbilled accounts is more common than you may think, says ElectriCities’ Senior Utility Systems Analyst, Sherri Callery.

Consider this scenario:

A diligent billing clerk in a small public power community has a large customer’s complex account open in the billing system to perform account maintenance. As lunchtime approaches, several customers line up at once to pay or ask questions about their utility bills. The billing clerk leaves her desk to serve the Town’s customers.

When she returns to her desk, the billing system has logged her out. After taking care of several customer requests, she has forgotten about the account she was working on earlier.

Before the customers came in, she’d been changing the account’s rate assignment and route schedule. When the system logged her out, the account status was saved as “inactive.”

Without a rate schedule or route assignment saved in the legacy billing system, the account wasn’t billed.

In the real-life version of this story, the problem came to light during a Retail Billing Assessment a year later. That one account was underbilled over $100,000 that year, representing 3% of the Town’s total electric department revenues!

With staff turnover during that time, no one had noticed the unbilled account as the source of lower revenues. And the Town’s legacy billing system didn’t flag the unbilled account like a modern billing system might have.

This is just one example of how a utility can inadvertently fail to bill all its customers. And it’s one of the common issues a Retail Billing Assessment uncovers.

A Retail Billing Assessment is a thorough analysis and process review of a utility’s electric retail billing system. It identifies unbilled revenue sources and opportunities to improve accuracy and efficiency.

Sherri conducts Retail Billing Assessments for ElectriCities members and recommends having one every two to five years, before major system conversions, and immediately following any significant rate, technology, or staff changes. They’re free for Power Agency members.

Learn more about the power of ElectriCities’ Retail Billing Assessments and other lost revenue Sherri has discovered here.

And be sure to catch Sherri’s breakout session, “Retail Electric Billing: Revenue Lost & Found,” at the 2023 ElectriCities Annual Conference in August. She’ll highlight common sources of billing errors that can have huge impacts on your utility and your revenue.

To determine whether a Retail Billing Assessment should be on your utility’s to-do list, contact Sherri Callery.

Summer Load Management and How You Can Save Money

If you haven’t already prepared for the summer heat, it’s time. Your local electric provider may offer a Load Management program. A Load Management program is intended to reduce your power costs by decreasing the electricity demand when your usage is highest.

Residential Load Management

Participating in a residential load management program involves having a remotely controlled switch attached to your appliances that impact peak demand most.

“Now is a good time to participate in your local load management program, learn how it works and the value of it—especially with the extreme temperatures we’ve experienced so far this season,” says ElectriCities Field Operations Manager Jason Thigpen.

Customers already participating in residential load management need to prepare for summer.

  1. Different appliances are affected. Water heaters are typically controlled year-round, but air conditioners replace heat strips in summer.
  2. Load management time frames. In winter, peak demand is usually 6-8 a.m. Summer peak periods are more prolonged and typically in the afternoon—about 2-7 p.m., most occurring between 3-6 p.m.

“Almost every local public power member in North Carolina participates in load management in some form, which collectively saves customers millions of dollars each year,” says Thigpen.

“Taking steps now to manage the summer demand peaks ensures you don’t miss out on those savings.”

Information about load management is available for customers through your hometown public power utility that is working to help you reduce energy and save money.

Contact your local electric provider for more information about load management or transitioning to summer load management.

49 ElectriCities Members Recognized for Excellent Safety Records in 2022

Congratulations to the 49 ElectriCities member utilities that had no lost workday cases due to accidents or injuries in 2022.

North Carolina members that received 2022 ElectriCities Municipal Electric Safety Awards are:

Albemarle
Belhaven
Dallas
Edenton
Farmville
Granite Falls
High Point
Kings Mountain
Lincolnton
New River Light & Power
Pineville
Scotland Neck
Wake Forest
Waynesville		 Apex
Benson
Drexel
Elizabeth City
Fountain
Hamilton
Hobgood
Landis
Maiden
Newton
Red Springs
Shelby
Walstonburg
Western Carolina University		 Ayden
Cherryville
East Carolina University
Enfield
Fremont
Hertford
Hookerton
Laurinburg
New Bern
N.C. State University
Rocky Mount
Smithfield
Washington
Wilson

South Carolina members that received 2022 ElectriCities Municipal Electric Safety Awards are

Easley
McCormick Public Works		 Greer Public Works
Newberry		 Laurens
Seneca Light & Power

ElectriCities Senior Safety & Training Specialist Mark Todd, CUSP, recognized each member for their perfect records and safe operating practices at the NCAMES conference on May 17.

Though reporting on-the-job accidents and injuries is required by OSHA, Mark says it’s not just for record-keeping and awards. The reports provide an opportunity for utility employees to revisit safe work practices, often with the help of the ElectriCities Safety & Training team.

The team uses the information to tweak training classes or to ensure they emphasize certain safety practices. “If, for example, we’re seeing a lot of lineworkers with hand lacerations, that tells us we need to review the importance of wearing proper personal protective equipment,” he said.

“Creating a culture of safety requires everyone’s buy-in, and even with that, an accident or injury can still occur,” Mark said. “Thank you to each member utility employee who is committed to safety and who completed 2022 with no accidents or injuries—whether or not your city or town received an award.”

For more information about the ElectriCities Municipal Electric Safety Awards, contact Mark Todd. And you can find out about upcoming ElectriCities safety training classes here.

Warm Weather Resources

It’s summertime, and the heat is on!

This time of year, it’s normal to want to turn the air conditioning down. We all want to be cool! However, no one wants a high electric bill.

To see how the summer heat affects your energy use—and your monthly energy bill, use TempTracker 365™. It records daily high and low temperatures in ElectriCities member communities. You can use it to find out which days, weeks, or months were extremely hot, causing your cooling system to run longer. You can also see which days had milder temperatures and didn’t result in as much energy use.

Whatever the temperature extremes are in your community, these simple, no-cost and low-cost tips from the U.S. Department of Energy can help you save money and keep cool this summer.

Use your windows to keep out heat

  • Install window coverings to prevent heat from coming through your windows during the day.

Operate your thermostat efficiently 

  • Set your thermostat at a temperature that you find comfortable and that provides humidity control, if needed.
  • When you’re away, set your thermostat a few degrees higher than normal. Lower the thermostat setting when you return home and need cooling.
  • Avoid setting your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you first turn on your air conditioner.

Use fans and ventilation strategies to cool your home

  • Turn off ceiling fans when you leave the room. Remember that fans cool people, not rooms, by creating a windchill effect.
  • When you shower or take a bath, use the bathroom fan to remove heat and humidity from your home.

Keep your cooling system running efficiently

  • Schedule regular maintenance for your cooling equipment.
  • Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
  • Vacuum your air intake vents regularly to remove any dust buildup. Ensure that furniture and other objects aren’t blocking the airflow through your registers.
  • Change the filter for your HVAC system monthly.

Consider a range of appliances and lighting options

  • Consider lighting options that operate at cooler temperatures.
  • If convenient, take advantage of daylight instead of artificial lighting, but avoid direct sunlight.
    • Learn more about strategies for efficient daylighting.
  • Wash full loads of dishes and clothes for better efficiency.

Keep hot air from leaking into your home

  • Seal cracks and openings to prevent warm air from leaking into your home.
  • Add caulk or weatherstripping to seal air leaks around doors and windows.

Lowe your water heating costs

Water heating accounts for about 18% of the energy consumed in your home.

  • The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends setting your water heater at no more than 120˚F to prevent scalding. The lower setting will also conserve energy and save money.

For more ways to save money and keep cool this summer, check out https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/spring-and-summer-energy-saving-tips.

 

 

 

ElectriCities Apprenticeship Program Participants Eligible for GI Bill Benefits

Military veterans who are enrolled in the ElectriCities Apprenticeship Program in North Carolina can now receive GI Bill benefits.

That’s thanks, in part, to Jared Auman, an Apprentice Lineworker II who helps power the towns of Huntersville and Cornelius in North Carolina.

Jared joined ElectriCities in 2021 after serving four years with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, including a combat tour in Afghanistan.

When he discovered that the ElectriCities Apprentice Lineworker Program was state-approved, he knew it could be eligible for on-the-job training reimbursement through the GI Bill.

Jared Aumen during his service in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division

He was right.

He contacted ElectriCities Manager of Safety and Training, Craig Batchelor, who ran with it.

Turns out, ElectriCities Vice President of Human Resources, Melissa Miranda, had been working with the state and the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) to get the ElectriCities apprenticeship program VA-approved.

Craig helped get things moving and became a School Certifying Official (SCO) through the VA. Being an SCO enables him to submit all the documentation required to help apprentice lineworkers get their GI Bill benefits. To provide backup and ensure efficiency, two more ElectriCities employees are on their way to becoming SCOs: Safety and Training Specialist Jeff Freeman and Learning and Development Specialist Susanne Taylor.

With Jared officially receiving his benefits, Craig is working with a few other lineworkers to get theirs going. And he’s looking for more.

If you or anyone on your team is enrolled in the ElectriCities Apprentice Lineworker Program in North Carolina and is eligible to receive GI Bill benefits, contact Craig.

Craig’s message to South Carolina veterans in the ElectriCities apprenticeship program: Hold tight. “We’re working on getting our apprenticeship program approved for VA benefits in South Carolina,” he said. “We hope to have that done by the end of the year.”

Discover the Power of Retail Billing Assessments

Could your utility be missing out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual revenue?

While performing a recent Retail Billing Assessment, ElectriCities’ Senior Utility Systems Analyst, Sherri Callery, discovered that could have happened to an ElectriCities member utility.

A Retail Billing Assessment is a thorough analysis and process review of a utility’s electric retail billing system. It identifies unbilled revenue sources and opportunities to improve accuracy and efficiency.

Sherri recommends conducting an assessment every two to five years, before major system conversions, and immediately following any significant rate, technology, or staff changes.

One of the many details Sherri examines during an assessment is billed demand and energy consumption before and after meter exchanges. During that recent assessment, Sherri discovered that demand decreased by a factor of 100 after each new meter was installed.

At that point, the utility had already lost $75,000 in revenue for the billing year.

Sherri worked with the member utility’s billing team to track down the source of the problem. Turns out, the metering vendor’s data transfer file setup parameters were based on incorrect demand units.

The team collaborated with the vendor to correct and validate the file transfer parameters.

Had the problem not been corrected all year, it would have cost the utility $133,000 in lost revenue. And, if all the utility’s meters had been exchanged without that correction, that lost revenue would have jumped to $582,000 per year.

The potential losses don’t stop there.

Another member utility was having a similar issue, so Sherri worked with that member and the vendor to get the problem corrected. Two other much larger member utilities are preparing to deploy that vendor’s metering system. With the file transfer parameters corrected, they avoided lost revenue that could have reached $2.4 million per utility.

“Utility billing operations are complex, and that complexity increases the potential for errors,” Sherri says. And those errors can happen to anyone.

Even a teeny tiny mistake can have a significant impact, she says. That’s why it’s important to regularly analyze and review your billing system parameters, meter data inputs, and processes.

“During a Retail Billing Assessment, we look at everything from the smallest details to the overall processes to deliver big value for your utility.”

To learn more about the process and determine whether a Retail Billing Assessment should be on your utility’s to-do list, contact Sherri Callery.

And, if you’d like to learn more about other common Retail Billing Assessment findings and how this service can benefit your utility, be sure to catch Sherri’s breakout session on the topic at the ElectriCities Annual Conference in August.

12 ElectriCities Members Earn National Award for Outstanding Safety Practices

Twelve ElectriCities of North Carolina member utilities have earned the American Public Power Association (APPA) Safety Award of Excellence for safe operating practices in 2022.

The award recognizes a utility’s incident rate and the state of its safety program and culture.

Recipients of the 2022 Safety Award of Excellence are:

Group B (systems with 15,000 to 29,999 worker-hours of exposure)

  • First place: City of Monroe, N.C.
  • First place: Town of Granite Falls, N.C.

Group C (systems with 30,000-59,999 worker-hours of exposure)

  • First place: Gaffney Board of Public Works (S.C.)
  • Third place: New River Light & Power (N.C.)
  • Honorable Mention: City of Rocky Mount, N.C.

Group D (systems with 60,000-109,999 worker-hours of exposure)

  • First place: Town of Apex, N.C.
  • Third place: City of Statesville, N.C.
  • Honorable Mention: City of Lumberton, N.C.

Group E (systems with 110,000-249,999 worker-hours of exposure)

  • Second place: Greenwood Commissioners of Public Works (S.C.)
  • Third place: City of Concord, N.C.
  • Honorable mention: City of Rock Hill, S.C.
  • Honorable mention: Wilson Energy (N.C.)

“Safety is the top priority for ElectriCities and for our members,” said Craig Batchelor, ElectriCities Manager of Safety and Training. “It takes a lot of hard work to create and maintain an exceptional safety program. I commend these public power providers for their dedication.”

According to an APPA news release, 166 utilities nationwide earned Safety Awards of Excellence in 2022 out of the 283 utilities that entered.

To determine award winners, APPA first categorized entrants according to their number of worker-hours. Then APPA ranked them based on their incident-free records and overall state of their safety programs and culture during 2022.

The 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 2022, as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

“Safety needs to be the first thing on every utility employee’s mind as they go about their work,” said Jim Boyd, Chair of APPA’s Safety Committee and Electric Operations Safety Manager at Tacoma Power in Washington. “The utilities honored by APPA for excellence in this area should be proud of the culture they have instilled in serving their communities.”

Review the national list of 2022 Safety Awards of Excellence honorees at www.PublicPower.org.

For a list of awards ElectriCities member utilities have won since 2020, visit the Awards and Accolades page on the ElectriCities website.

11 ElectriCities Members Earn RP3 Designation

Eleven ElectriCities of North Carolina member utilities have earned the Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) designation from the American Public Power Association for providing reliable and safe electric service.

The RP3 designation, which lasts for three years, recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in four key disciplines:

  • Reliability
  • Safety
  • Workforce development
  • System improvement

Receiving it demonstrates a utility’s sound business practices and a utility-wide commitment to its employees, customers, and community to deliver electricity safely and reliably.

RP3 designations are awarded in three levels based on the number of points a utility earns in each of the four disciplines. Diamond is for 98-100 points, Platinum is for 90-<98 points, and Gold is for 80-<90 points.

Congratulations to these 2023 RP3 designees:

Diamond Level

  • City of Monroe, N.C.
  • City of Rocky Mount, N.C.
  • City of Statesville, N.C.
  • Wilson Energy (N.C.)

Platinum Level

  • Town of Apex, N.C.
  • New River Light & Power (N.C.)

Gold Level

  • Gaffney Board of Public Works (S.C.)
  • Town of Cornelius, N.C.
  • Town of Huntersville, N.C.
  • Town of Pineville, N.C.
  • Town of Tarboro, N.C.

“I’m proud of these public power providers for reinforcing their commitment to their customers and their communities by earning the RP3 designation,” said ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones. “The RP3 program enables them to confirm that they have the sound business practices in place to safely deliver reliable electricity to their customers now and into the future.”

“Receiving an RP3 designation is a great honor signifying a utility has demonstrated commitment to industry best practices,” said Troy Adams, Chair of APPA’s RP3 Review Panel and General Manager at Manitowoc Public Utilities, Wisconsin. “And ultimately, the culture developed from this pursuit of excellence and continued improvement through the RP3 program results in measurable value delivered to the local community.”

These 11 ElectriCities member utilities are part of the 109 utilities nationwide that earned the designation in 2023.

In North Carolina, 26 public power communities hold RP3 designations—more than in any other state, and 32 ElectriCities members are RP3 designees.

A full list of the ElectriCities member utilities with RP3 designation is available on the Awards and Accolades page on the ElectriCities website. A national list of designees is available at www.PublicPower.org.

Hurricane Preparedness

Be prepared before, during, and after the storm.

Nobody looks forward to hurricane season and the destruction storms can bring to our communities. But rest assured, our experienced, locally based electric crews are prepared to respond and restore power quickly and safely. Here are some tips to help you and your family prepare in the event a hurricane hits our community.

BEFORE the storm:

  • Gather emergency supplies such as flashlights, battery-operated radios, and batteries.
  • Move yard items and furniture inside.
  • Monitor official weather bulletins.
  • Charge your devices, like your phone or external backup batteries.

DURING the storm:

  • Turn off and unplug electrical appliances and equipment, such as televisions and computers.
  • Stay indoors in an interior room, away from windows.

AFTER the storm:

  • Watch for downed power lines. Stay back and consider them energized. Energized lines can conduct electricity through the ground up to 35 feet away from the line.
  • Check for electrical damage inside your home, such as frayed wires, sparks, or the smell of burning insulation. If you find damage to your meter box or weatherhead, don’t turn your power on until an electrician inspects your system and makes necessary repairs.
  • Do not connect your generator directly to your home’s electrical system. It is dangerous to you, your neighbors, and utility workers.

Wilson’s John Maclaga Addresses Bipartisan Supply Chain Caucus

John Maclaga, Assistant Director for Wilson Energy, recently participated in a roundtable led by members of the bipartisan Supply Chain Caucus.

Invited by U.S. Rep. David Rouzer, R-N.C., to represent North Carolina public power, John joined key stakeholders from various industries to discuss the state of the supply chain and provide recommendations to help alleviate supply chain constraints.

John, who also represents the American Public Power Association (APPA) on the Electric Sector Coordinating Committee Supply Chain Tiger Team, said supply chain constraints threaten grid reliability and security and stifle economic development. They also jeopardize the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s goals of reducing carbon emissions by getting more renewables, electric vehicles, battery storage systems, and more energy efficient buildings online.

“The reliability and security of the electric grid is at stake if we don’t take action to address the supply chain crisis we’re seeing today,” John said. “Lead times and prices for transformers, utility poles, bucket trucks, and other critical equipment have increased exponentially since the start of the pandemic, with lead times for trucks, for example, jumping from 12 to 60 months and prices increasing four-to-five fold.”

He said the federal government should support developing more robust supply chains and onshoring manufacturing of critical infrastructure components.

He recommended three ways Congress and regulators can help:

  • Encourage the DOE to stop the proposed rule on transformer efficiency standards.
  • Appropriate $1 billion through the Defense Production Act to increase all forms of distribution and substation transformer manufacturing in the U.S.
  • Direct FEMA to invest in a national stockpile of distribution transformers when/if demand for distribution transformers falls below 2019 levels.

“Finding ways to alleviate the supply chain crisis is a priority for ElectriCities and for public power,” said ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones. “When ElectriCities board members and I met with Rep. Rouzer’s staff during APPA’s Legislative Rally in March, it was clear that it’s a priority for him too. We thank him for inviting us to participate in the conversation, and we thank the caucus members for working to address this critical issue.”

While in Washington, John also met with Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., and a staff member for Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., to enlighten them on the impact supply chain constraints are having on public power communities in North Carolina.

“I appreciate the opportunity to provide an electric utility perspective and offer Congress long-term solutions as we do our very best to keep the lights on for families and businesses.” John said.