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.
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.
When public power lineworkers in South Carolina found themselves without a way to get formal training, Craig Batchelor’s phone started ringing. “I got a lot of calls that day,” he says.
Craig is the Manager of Safety and Training at ElectriCities. He leads a team of experienced instructors who train lineworkers to work safely and efficiently and advance their careers.
The team stays up to date on OSHA requirements, the National Electrical Safety Code, and the American Public Power Association’s Safety Manual to ensure lineworkers get the best, most valuable information to keep themselves and their coworkers safe.
ElectriCities Training Facility in Newberry, South Carolina (Photo: Elyssa Haven, Public Relations Coordinator, City of Newberry)
Hundreds of North Carolina-based public power lineworkers are working their way through ElectriCities’ Lineworker Apprenticeship Program, a four-level program that leads to journey lineworker status, approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. They attend classes at ElectriCities’ training facilities in Maiden and Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
When the calls came from South Carolina, Craig and team hit the road to see how they could help.
“Once we heard from roughly 20 utility directors who wanted their teams to participate in our program, we knew we needed a facility there,” he says.
In March 2023, about 16 months after those initial calls, the first Climbing School kicked off in the new lineworker training facility in the public power city of Newberry, South Carolina.
“Newberry Mayor Foster Senn and the City of Newberry’s Utility Director, Tim Baker, have been excellent partners to us throughout the process of establishing this training facility,” Craig says. “Since the very beginning, they’ve been in sync with our priorities and goals.”
At 3.5 acres, the Newberry outdoor training site is ElectriCities’ largest. Classroom training takes place about a mile and a half away in the Newberry Firehouse Conference Center.
Eight of the 17 schools ElectriCities offers are currently available in Newberry. The team may add more in 2024. For now, the focus is on accommodating lineworkers interested in the apprenticeship program.
“We have about 50 South Carolina apprentice lineworkers in the program,” Craig says. “And demand has been so high, we added an extra session of our Climbing School in Newberry to accommodate everyone.”
Students from any ElectriCities member community are welcome to attend classes in any of the ElectriCities training facilities.
“If you’re attempting to register a student for a class and it’s full, don’t hesitate to check another location,” Craig says.
“We’re grateful to everyone involved in establishing this training facility,” Craig says. “The outdoor site wouldn’t have been possible without the help of all the lineworkers from Newberry and other South Carolina municipalities who volunteered their time and resources to help us build it.”
Congratulations to the 16 ElectriCities of North Carolina member utilities that received national recognition for achieving exceptional electric reliability in 2022:
City of Concord, N.C.
City of Laurinburg, N.C.
City of Lumberton, N.C.
City of Monroe, N.C.
City of Newberry, S.C.
City of Rocky Mount, N.C.
Fayetteville Public Works Commission (N.C.)
Martinsville Electric Department (Va.)
New River Light & Power (N.C.)
Seneca Light & Water (S.C.)
Town of Apex, N.C.
Town of Cornelius, N.C.
Town of Front Royal, Va.
Town of Tarboro, N.C.
Town of Wake Forest, N.C.
Wilson Energy
Each earned a Certificate of Excellence in Reliability from the American Public Power Association (APPA).
Honorees have been tracking their power outage and restoration data through APPA’s eReliability Tracker. Using the web-based subscription service, utilities can collect, categorize, and summarize outage and restoration data and run reports throughout the year.
Once a year, APPA’s Reliability Team compares this data to national statistics that the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) tracks for all types of electric utilities. APPA awards Certificates of Excellence in Reliability to those utilities that have a System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) in the top 25% of utilities nationally.
“It’s encouraging to see year after year that public power’s track record for providing highly reliable service is backed up by data,” APPA Director of Research and Development Paul Zummo said in a news release from APPA. “These utilities are the best of the best when it comes to keeping the lights on. And these communities should be proud of their local power providers and appreciate the hard work that goes into earning this recognition.”
“Whatever challenges and natural disasters our member communities face, they continue to shine each year, providing their customers with safe, reliable electric service,” said P.J. Rehm, Vice President of Grid Innovation & Safety at ElectriCities. “We congratulate these utilities and commend them for doing what it takes to keep their communities powered.”
According to data reported to the EIA, the average public power customer nationwide is without power for less than half the amount of time customers of other types of utilities are.
North Carolina’s public power customers fare even better. They experience 40% fewer outages than other power providers’ customers in the state. And when the power does go out, the outage lasts, on average, only about one-third the time of those other providers.
eReliability Tracker service is an ElectriCities member benefit. Members interested in tracking their utility’s reliability may contact PJ Rehm.
“I encourage every member community to track their system’s outages and reliability,” said PJ. “The data it provides enables them to benchmark their utility’s reliability, identify any areas to improve, and highlight exceptional reliability as just one of the many benefits their public power utility provides to their community.”
March 7-9, close to 250 attendees gathered in Cary, North Carolina, for Connections Summit 2023 to discuss, share, learn, and problem-solve together.
With a focus on how technology and the customer experience are driving the energy industry, insightful speakers and panelists tackled topics that impact the success of a public power utility’s business.
ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones spoke at the opening General Session
Connections Summit Chair Ed Miller served as emcee and kept the conference moving.
Ed is the General Manager of New River Light & Power, and he serves on the ElectriCities Board of Directors.
Welcoming everyone to the conference, Ed acknowledged the board members in the room, as well as their work last year creating the strategic plan for public power in our region.
He told summit attendees, “These folks are representing you.” He encouraged attendees to talk with board members—to “share ideas, concerns, thoughts about the direction we’re moving in and the steps we’re taking.”
ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones gave the opening keynote address. He reminded us of the strategic plan’s vision, purpose, values, and priorities. And he shared good news about the state of public power in our region. “We have a tremendous story to tell, and it’s getting better and better,” he said.
Closing out the conference, Connections Summit Vice Chair Janelle Rockett added to that. “Our story isn’t just for our customers,” she said. “It’s also for our elected officials, our city council members, our county commissioners, and any other community partners we engage with on a daily basis.”
Panel discussion on attracting workforce talent. Panelists, left to right: ElectriCities VP of Human Resources Melissa Miranda, Gastonia Public Utilities Director Joe Albright, Albemarle Human Resources Director Dana Cherry, Laurinburg City Manager Charles Nichols
For more conference highlights, search for #ECConnect23 on our social media channels.
A big thank you to everyone who helped make Connections Summit 2023 a success.
If you attended, please take time to share your takeaways with your team. If you couldn’t make it, connect with someone who did. We hope to see you at next year’s Connections Summit or at our upcoming Annual Conference.
Starting on March 17, you can find slides from publicly shareable Connections Summit 2023 presentations here.
Mark your calendar now for the ElectriCities 2023 Annual Conference scheduled for August 14-16 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
The newly elected and re-elected members of the ElectriCities Board of Directors have officially been sworn into office. Join us in offering everyone a warm welcome!
Jim Gallagher from Gastonia returned to the board this year. He served two terms from 2014 through 2019, chairing the board in 2019.
Re-elected to the board are:
Anthony C. (Tony) Cannon (Greenville Utilities Commission)
Costi Kutteh (Statesville)
Charles D. Nichols, III (Laurinburg)
Jonathan Rynne (Fayetteville Public Works Commission)
Judge Allegra Collins (far right) swore in newly elected and re-elected ElectriCities board members on Jan. 27, 2023. Board members, left to right: Jonathan Rynne, Charles Nichols, Costi Kutteh, Jim Gallagher, Tony Cannon
The 2023 officers of the ElectriCities board are:
Chairman: Randy McCaslin (High Point)
Vice Chairman: Troy Lewis (Tarboro)
Secretary: Costi Kutteh (Statesville)
Remaining board members are:
Mayor Eddie Braxton (Scotland Neck)
Whitney Brooks (Lexington)
Mayor Jack Edwards (Pineville)
Donald I. Evans (Wilson)
J. Richard (Rick) Howell (Shelby)
Edmond (Ed) Miller (New River Light & Power)
Kipling D. (Kip) Padgett (Wake Forest)
John M. Stiver (Newton)
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 One, North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency, and ElectriCities of North Carolina. Board members serve three-year terms.
Board members were sworn in and officers were elected during the ElectriCities Board of Directors meeting on January 27, 2023.
“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, Donald Evans, for his distinguished service and leadership this past year.”
“Many thanks also to Judge Allegra Collins from the North Carolina Court of Appeals for swearing in the newly elected and re-elected board members,” said Jones. “I look forward to working with this esteemed group to continue ensuring a bright future for public power in our region.”
Congratulations to Kevin Josupait, P.E., ElectriCities’ Manager of Projects & Contracts, on being unanimously elected president of the Southeastern Federal Power Customer, Inc., (SeFPC) Board of Directors.
The SeFPC is a group of municipal power companies and electric cooperatives that represent more than six million electricity customers in the Southeast. The group’s goal is to “raise awareness and build understanding of the benefits of hydroelectricity and to protect it as a natural resource,” according to its website.
Kevin has served on the SeFPC board since 2016, representing 47 Power Agency members that receive hydropower from the Southeastern Power Administration (SEPA). These Power Agency members are allocated 95 megawatts of hydropower capacity, the energy of which is produced at various dams in the southeastern United States that are operated and maintained by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
Kevin Josupait, ElectriCities’ Manager of Projects & Contracts
“Hydropower is a clean and renewable energy source and a small, but important, part of the power supplies of both North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number One (NCMPA1) and North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (NCEMPA),” Kevin said.
During his two-year term as board president, one of his responsibilities is presiding over the quarterly Board of Directors meetings. There, members hear from SEPA on the performance of the hydropower plants and the status of major projects, get updates on legislative issues affecting hydropower, and get reports from the SeFPC’s committees.
Kevin said he appreciates the comradery of the group. “I enjoy meeting with the other utilities and having discussions about their power supply, challenges, and how hydropower fits into their overall portfolio,” he said. “It’s an honor to lead and serve this group.”
For more information about the SeFPC and hydropower, visit http://sefpc.org.
As we’ve reported before, the General Assembly adopted House Bill 951 in 2021, which required the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) to issue a Carbon Plan by the end of 2022. The plan was required to provide a path for Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress to achieve a 70% CO2 emissions reduction by 2030 (relative to 2005 levels) and a 100% carbon neutral portfolio by 2050. In drafting the plan, the NCUC was required to follow least-cost principles and preserve or improve reliability. The NCUC conducted an expedited process to meet the statutory deadline that saw Duke propose four alternative pathways to meet the goals with different resource portfolios, opportunities for public comment, and an evidentiary hearing. ElectriCities participated in that process, filing comments and meeting with NCUC commissioners, Public Staff, and other stakeholders. ElectriCities emphasized the importance of flexibility in any plan in order to minimize ultimate costs of compliance, expressed concern about the costs of new transmission proposed by Duke that would be built before any concrete solar generation projects sought interconnection, and argued that the ultimate plan could not meet least cost principles so long as Duke discouraged cost-effective demand-side management by wholesale customers.
Just before the New Year, the NCUC issued a plan with something for almost everyone to both like and dislike. The plan lays out a short-term, “least-regrets” path that directs Duke to:
Close 9 GW of coal plants;
Extend the licenses for its nuclear plants;
Pursue 2350 MW of new solar resources, 600 MW of storage tied to solar and 1000 MW of additional storage; and,
Evaluate new natural gas resources, off-shore wind, on-shore wind, and small-modular reactors.
The NCUC also found that Duke can move forward on some of its transmission plans. Even as the NCUC directs Duke to implement the Carbon Plan, it emphasized repeatedly that the plan does not preempt Duke’s obligation to obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) for any new generation and does not guarantee rate recovery for development expenses (except for nuclear), or for any particular resources. Duke will continue to need to go through its Integrated Resource Plan process, the CPCN process, transmission planning processes, and rate proceedings. The plan specifically calls for a progress review every two years, at which point the NCUC will have the opportunity to adjust the plan.
The plan has already been criticized by environmental advocates and solar developers on one side for not going far enough or fast enough to counter climate change and by the John Locke Foundation for going too far, an over-reliance on solar generation, and threatening reliability. While ElectriCities is concerned about the additional costs the plan is certain to impose on wholesale customers, it is pleased that the NCUC has taken a wait-and-see position on most new resources, continues to impose the obligation on Duke to demonstrate that any new investments are cost-justified, and continues to emphasize the critical importance of reliability. We will remain actively involved to protect the interests of public power and our communities as Duke moves forward to implement the plan.
RALEIGH, N.C. (Jan. 18, 2023)—ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., the membership organization for municipally owned electric utilities—also known as public power providers—in North Carolina and beyond, awarded Downtown Revitalization Grants to four North Carolina public power cities: Gastonia, Laurinburg, Morganton, and Washington. Each city will receive $10,000 to help achieve its downtown revitalization goals.
“Study after study has shown that a thriving downtown is key to a thriving community,” said Carl Rees, ElectriCities Manager of Economic and Community Development. “Helping fund these high-impact projects injects needed energy into our members’ downtown areas, sparking growth and ultimately improving the quality of life in these public power communities.”
Gastonia’s Downtown Traffic Signal Cabinet Art Project
The City of Gastonia demonstrates the concept of its Downtown Traffic Signal Cabinet Art Project.
The City of Gastonia will use the ElectriCities grant to fund its Downtown Traffic Signal Cabinet Art Project, an initiative to enhance Downtown Gastonia with public art.
“This project reimagines traffic signal control cabinets as a blank canvas filled with a creative opportunity for the entire community to enjoy,” said Gastonia City Manager Michael Peoples.
Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and Keep Gastonia Beautiful, the art project involves wrapping NCDOT traffic signal boxes with colorful designs at eight downtown intersections.
“This project will present artistic designs that make Downtown Gastonia come alive in colors, figures, and patterns, helping define a distinctive welcoming character that belongs only to Downtown Gastonia,” said Peoples. “Along with serving as a great placemaking tool, this project enables us to continue supporting the priorities we’ve outlined in our Economic Development Strategic Plan.”
Laurinburg’s Revitalization of 127 Main Project
Clean up is underway at 127 Main Street in Downtown Laurinburg.
The City of Laurinburg will put its grant proceeds toward restoring a cornerstone building at 127 Main Street in Downtown Laurinburg. The City has developed a two-phased approach to restoring the more than 13,000-square-foot building into quality, leasable space ideal for food and beverage service businesses.
Phase 1 is underway and includes environmental remediation, an overhaul of the electrical and plumbing systems, structural repairs, and preservation-minded cleanup. Funds from the Downtown Revitalization Grant will go directly toward the cost of repairing and replacing the building’s electrical systems.
“This Downtown Revitalization Grant will help provide a needed spark for encouraging economic development in Downtown Laurinburg,” said Laurinburg’s Downtown Development Coordinator Mary Allison Yancey. “The economic momentum we’re seeing downtown is challenged by the lack of quality, leasable space for interested businesses. Revitalization of 127 Main not only enables us to capitalize on that economic momentum, but it also demonstrates large City investment that will inspire future property and business owners to locate here.”
Morganton’s Coworking Project
The City of Morganton will put its ElectriCities grant toward developing a downtown coworking facility. Renovation of a building on South Sterling Street is underway, and funds from the grant will go directly toward constructing and up fitting the conference room.
The City of Morganton is renovating this South Sterling Street building to create a downtown coworking facility.
“This location will be a great economic development tool for the City of Morganton,” said Morganton City Manager Sally Sandy. “Now remote workers and companies with only a few employees will have access to a convenient downtown office with the benefits of shared facilities, services, and tools that a coworking space provides.”
The City of Washington will use its funding to install lighting and security cameras in three of its downtown alleyways.
“Improvements from the City’s streetscape project have contributed to more foot traffic and increased retail business activities downtown,” said Washington City Manager Jonathan Russell. “That traffic revealed the need to increase visibility in the area, which when complete, will help attract even more visitors and businesses downtown.”
About Downtown Revitalization Grants
“These grant-winning projects demonstrate that there are many ways to improve our downtowns and to spark and support development and leverage private sector investment,” said Rees of ElectriCities. “While each community is as unique as the projects, as public power communities, they share a commitment to providing their residents and businesses with safe, reliable electricity and excellent service while supporting their local economies.”
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. The next cycle for ElectriCities Downtown Revitalization Grants opens in March 2023.
Happy National Apprenticeship Week! It’s our annual opportunity to celebrate apprentices and highlight the importance of apprenticeship programs.
Celebrating and supporting apprentices isn’t new at ElectriCities. Through our career development programs, hundreds of apprentice lineworkers, meter technicians, and substation technicians throughout ElectriCities member communities have gained and are gaining the skills and expertise needed to work safely and advance their careers by achieving journeyworker certification.
Craig Batchelor, Manager of Safety and Training at ElectriCities, says, “My hope is that every apprentice lineworker, meter technician, and substation technician who gets hired in any of our member communities enters one of our career development programs for apprentices. Along with providing top-of-the-line training, these programs teach safety first.”
ElectriCities’ development programs for apprentices include:
Apprentice Lineworker Program – In this four-level program, lineworker apprentices complete 72 online modules, eight in-person ElectriCities safety schools, and hands-on tests at the end of each school to gain comprehensive knowledge about installing, repairing, and maintaining overhead and underground electric systems. Participants gain an understanding of electricity and, in the more advanced levels, gain supervisory experience and knowledge of complex electric operations.
Overhead Lineworker Career Development Program – In this four-level program, lineworker apprentices complete approximately 60 online modules and four in-person ElectriCities safety schools to learn to install, repair, and maintain overhead electric systems. They gain an understanding of electricity and, in the more advanced levels, gain supervisory experience and knowledge of complex electric operations.
Meter Technician Career Development Program – This three-level program enables meter technicians at all experience levels to learn to test, install, repair, and maintain customer watt-hour meters. Participants learn about AMI technology and, in the more advanced levels, gain knowledge of complex polyphase metering.
Substation Career Development Program – In this four-level program, substation technicians learn the skills needed to handle technical substation responsibilities, including how to install, repair, and maintain all components of an electric substation. They gain an understanding of electricity and, in the more advanced levels, gain supervisory experience and knowledge of complex devices and switching orders located in substations and throughout the electric systems.
All programs require on-the-job training that supervisors must sign off on.
The newest and most comprehensive of the four training programs is the Apprentice Lineworker Program.
“We created the Apprentice Lineworker Program to provide members an option for more robust apprentice lineworker training,” Batchelor said. “Along with more online and in-person training, plus hands-on tests along the way, the program simplifies the process for member communities since ElectriCities handles the state registration process.”
Since the program opened to ElectriCities member communities in 2019, about half of them have moved from the Overhead Lineworker Career Development Program to the Apprentice Lineworker Program.
ElectriCities’ Jeff Freeman presents Lexington’s Brent Pope with a plaque celebrating his completion of the ElectriCities Apprentice Lineworker Program
In May 2022, City of Lexington lineworker Brent Pope became one of the first graduates of the ElectriCities Apprentice Lineworker Program. He’d been working his way through the overhead program when Lexington Utilities transitioned to the Apprentice Lineworker Program.
After initially being apprehensive about the switch since it meant retaking some classes, Pope said he’s glad he stuck with it.
“It’s definitely about education and trying to make yourself better,” he said. “It might be a few more modules and a few more steps, but it’s worth it in the long run.”
He added, “The thing I enjoyed most was getting the different experiences, different skillsets, and different mindsets, not only from the instructors but from other students in the class.”
That’s by design, says ElectriCities Senior Safety and Training Specialist Jeff Freeman. “We try to make the schools so they’re compatible with every student across our member communities, covering all the skills that pertain to the smallest and largest utilities.”
Pope says the program is beneficial now, and he knows it will be in the future. It provides opportunities for people who may want to get into linework but are leery if they lack experience, he said.
ElectriCities’ Batchelor agrees. “That applies to all ElectriCities apprentice programs,” he said. “During National Apprenticeship Week, we thank our participating member communities and apprentices for helping us create a culture of safety through training.”
