ElectriCities Members Show the Strength of Mutual Aid After Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene heavily impacted ElectriCities member communities in western North Carolina and South Carolina. In the wake of the destruction, other ElectriCities members across North Carolina rose to the occasion and traveled to hard-hit areas to get the power back on.

ElectriCities 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. Through a network of mutual aid, ElectriCities member utilities send their linecrews, trucks, supplies, and equipment to assist communities when disaster strikes, and the power goes out.

Public power lineworkers from Greenville Utilities Commission work to rebuild electric systems in communities affected by Hurricane Helene.

At the peak of outages from Helene, about 48,000 public power customers in North Carolina were without electricity. After five days, ElectriCities member linecrews had reduced that number to about 10,000. Six days later, major restoration efforts in ElectriCities’ North Carolina member communities were complete.

That swift response is thanks to monumental efforts from lineworkers and public power staff across ElectriCities membership—public power communities that requested help for their customers and those that provided mutual aid by sending approximately 30 crews, along with equipment and materials.

“Thankfully, power was restored both quickly and safely. No ElectriCities member crews reported any lineworker injuries,” said Nick Whitley, Mutual Aid Coordinator and Supervisor of Safety and Training at ElectriCities. “Just like any good linecrew, public power communities worked together to do what needs to be done.”

Getting the lights back after Hurricane Helene took hard work and dedication from first responders and neighbors near and far, including lineworkers, customer service representatives, and other utility staff.

“It was a heavy lift that required a lot of people working together, but many hands made light work,” said Craig Batchelor, Manager of Safety and Training at ElectriCities. “We appreciate everyone who assisted with mutual aid.”

As hurricane season barreled on, public power communities continued to provide mutual aid. When Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene hit, ElectriCities members were there to support public power neighbors farther south.

“We were in the midst of wrapping up one and had to head into another,” said Batchelor.

Whatever the storm, public power communities are ready to support one another through the strength of mutual aid.

ElectriCities thanks the communities that provided and received mutual aid.

Communities that Provided Mutual Aid After Hurricane Helene:

Albemarle
Apex
Clayton
Concord
Fayetteville PWC
Gastonia
Greenville Utilities Commission
High Point
Kinston
Lexington
Lumberton
Monroe
New Bern
Newton
Rocky Mount
Statesville
Tarboro
Wake Forest
Washington
Wilson Energy

Communities that Received Mutual Aid After Hurricane Helene:

Abbeville, S.C.
Cherryville
Drexel
Easley, S.C.
Forest City
Greenwood, S.C.
Kings Mountain
Laurens, S.C.
Morganton
New River Light & Power (Boone)
Newberry, S.C.
Prosperity, S.C.
Shelby

ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc. Names Scott Jones Chief Financial Officer

RALEIGH, N.C. (OCTOBER 16, 2024) — ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., announced today that it has named Scott Jones Chief Financial Officer. Scott will succeed Tim Tunis who earlier this year announced his retirement effective April 2025 after 20 years with ElectriCities.

Scott Jones will join ElectriCities leadership in January 2025

Scott has over 25 years of experience in the energy industry, including 19 years in public power. Most recently, Scott served as Chief Financial Officer and Assistant General Manager for Snohomish County Public Utility District in Everett, WA. Scott began his public power career with Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG) where he served as Controller, VP-Audit and Risk Management, and SVP-Chief Administrative Officer during his tenure. Following his time at MEAG, Scott joined North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as Senior Director of Finance and later Chief Financial Officer. Scott is also a former member of the Board of Directors for The Energy Authority (TEA).

“We are excited to welcome Scott to the ElectriCities team and look forward to officially having him on board in January,” said Roy Jones, ElectriCities Chief Executive Officer. “His skill set and decades of industry and public power experience are a great match for our organization and I am confident of the value he will bring ElectriCities and our members.”

As Chief Financial Officer, Jones will be responsible for all corporate financial matters, including advising the organization’s internal staff, ElectriCities’ Board of Directors, and the Power Agencies’ Board of Commissioners on financial, accounting, budgeting, and investment matters. Jones will also provide counsel on corporate financial and investment strategy and provide oversight for ElectriCities’ Human Resources, Information Technology, and Information Governance functions.

“I look forward to joining ElectriCities and the opportunity to continue to serve in public power,” said Scott Jones. “I value ElectriCities’ focus on collaboration and service and am proud to play a part in continued success for public power in the region.”

Scott earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Master of Accountancy from the University of Tennessee. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.

ElectriCities Celebrates the Value Public Power Provides Communities

RALEIGH, N.C. — ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., 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—joins its member communities and the more than 2,000 public power communities across the country in recognizing Public Power Week, Oct. 6-12, 2024.

Public power providers—electric utilities—are a division of local government. Like public schools and libraries, they are owned by the community and run by boards of local officials who are accountable to their citizens.

“The true measure of public power’s strength is in the value it brings to its customers,” said Roy Jones, CEO of ElectriCities. “Public power providers are vital community pillars, delivering exceptional service, innovative energy solutions, and an unwavering commitment to local needs. Customers in public power communities experience a better quality of life because of these locally owned and operated power providers.”

Public power cities and towns in North Carolina provide safe, affordable, and sustainable electricity with a reliability rating of 99.98%—more reliable than other power providers. In fact, public power customers in North Carolina experience 40% fewer outages than other power providers’ customers. When the power does go out, public power lineworkers restore power faster than other providers.

“Public power lineworkers, customer service representatives, engineers, and other specialists are local municipal employees and take pride in keeping the lights on for their neighbors,” Jones said. “Whether they’re restoring power following a hurricane or ice storm or they’re answering customers’ billing and energy efficiency questions, public power employees are able to respond quickly.”

Public power communities are part of a mutual aid network that spans the state and country, providing invaluable support during hurricanes, ice storms, and other natural disasters while maintaining a superior safety record.

That mutual aid network was most recently put into action in the wake of Hurricane Helene, where western North Carolina saw devastating flooding that led to widespread power outages. Public power communities from across the state answered the mutual aid call, providing crews and equipment to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

As restoration efforts continue, public power lineworkers are working around the clock, lending a hand to neighbors in need. “As we celebrate all that public power is and does this Public Power Week, we recognize that providing safe, reliable, and sustainable power is a 24/7 job,” Jones said. “This essential public service helps communities across our state and country grow and flourish. And while we focus on the benefits of public power especially this week, we know that every day is a great day to celebrate public power.”

17 Public Power Communities Recognized for Excellence

RALEIGH, N.C. — ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., presented 17 communities with Public Power Awards of Excellence at ElectriCities’ 2024 Annual Conference held in Asheville, North Carolina.

Public Power Awards of Excellence reflect public power’s strategic priorities. The awards recognize public power providers for developing a future-focused mindset, strengthening public power, providing superior power, providing customer-centered innovation, and prioritizing their people as their greatest asset.

“Customers of these award-winning utilities are the true winners,” said ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones. “They enjoy safer and more reliable power, superior service, and far-reaching value thanks to their power provider’s dedication to finding innovative ways to support them.”

The FUTURE-FOCUSED AWARD recognizes communities with a future-focused mindset. This year’s winners are:

  • Albemarle
  • Kinston
  • New Bern
  • New River Light and Power
  • Western Carolina University
  • Wilson

The STRENGTHEN PUBLIC POWER AWARD celebrates communities that build public and political support for public power. This year’s winners are:

  • Albemarle
  • Fayetteville Public Works Commission
  • Greenville Utilities Commission
  • Kinston
  • Maiden
  • Monroe
  • New Bern
  • New River Light and Power
  • Rocky Mount
  • Statesville
  • Tarboro
  • Western Carolina University
  • Wilson

The PROVIDE SUPERIOR POWER AWARD highlights communities that deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity. This year’s winners are:

  • Apex
  • Fayetteville Public Works Commission
  • Gastonia
  • Greenville Utilities Commission
  • Kinston
  • Monroe
  • New Bern
  • New River Light and Power
  • Rocky Mount
  • Statesville
  • Tarboro
  • Wilson

The CUSTOMER-CENTERED INNOVATION AWARD recognizes public power providers that innovate and invest to serve their communities better. This year’s winners are:

  • Clayton
  • Fayetteville Public Works Commission
  • New Bern
  • New River Light and Power
  • Rocky Mount
  • Wilson

The PEOPLE AWARD distinguishes cities and towns that leverage their people as their greatest asset. This year’s winners are:

  • Albemarle
  • Concord
  • Fayetteville Public Works Commission
  • Greenville Utilities Commission
  • Kinston
  • Monroe
  • New River Light and Power
  • Rocky Mount
  • Statesville
  • Tarboro
  • Western Carolina University
  • Wilson

Spanning North Carolina from the mountains to the coast, this year’s award winners represent some of the state’s smallest and largest public power communities.

“Congratulations to this year’s Public Power Awards of Excellence recipients,” said Jones. “Their unwavering commitment to their customers and their communities helps ensure a bright future for public power in our region.”

ElectriCities Celebrates Electric Lineworkers’ Skill, Dedication, and Service

RALEIGH, N.C. — ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., celebrates and honors electric lineworkers this April.

Monday, April 8, is North Carolina Lineworker Appreciation Day, and Thursday, April 18, is National Lineworker Appreciation Day. Both days are designated to honor the lineworkers who perform the critical work needed to keep our communities powered every day.

“Lineworkers are skilled professionals who rise to the challenge to perform difficult and dangerous work, at times in grueling conditions for long hours, all while adhering to strict safety protocols,” said ElectriCities CEO, Roy Jones. ElectriCities 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.

“Lineworkers prioritize the needs of their neighbors above their own to keep the lights on in the communities they serve,” Jones said. “They are true hometown heroes.”

In North Carolina, public power lineworkers keep the electricity flowing for nearly 1.3 million people in more than 70 public power cities and towns throughout the state. Across the nation, public power lineworkers support 2,000 municipalities, serving one out of every seven Americans.

Since public power lineworkers frequently live in the communities they serve, they can respond quickly when storms or other disasters damage lines or equipment. Their quick response is key to the exceptional electric reliability public power communities are known for maintaining.

Nationally, public power customers experience half the average outage time as customers of other utilities, according to the latest report from the American Public Power Association.

North Carolina public power customers enjoy even better reliability, with outages lasting only a third as long as customers of other providers. The state’s public power lineworkers keep the power on 99.98% of the time. So, on average, North Carolina’s public power customers face less than one outage a year and it lasts less than one hour.

A lineworker’s job is dangerous, and rigorous safety protocols help keep them safe. To ensure they adhere to required safety procedures and protocols, lineworkers in ElectriCities member cities and towns participate in safety training, ElectriCities’ Apprenticeship Program, and other career development programs.

In addition to safely keeping the lights on in their own communities, public power lineworkers participate in a statewide and national mutual aid network that authorizes crews to travel to help repair electric systems. These first responders light the way for other first responders, bringing the initial sign of recovery to an area hit by disaster.

“Lineworkers are often the first, first responders, and they’re the backbone of public power,” Jones said. “I’m proud to celebrate these hometown heroes, today and every day.”

2023 Collaborative Transmission Plan identifies 73 major transmission projects – 58 reliability projects and 15 public policy projects

RALEIGH, N.C. — Participants in the North Carolina Transmission Planning Collaborative (NCTPC) have identified 73 major transmission projects that will improve the electric transmission infrastructure as part of the 2023-2033 Collaborative Transmission Plan (“2023 Plan”). These 73 major transmission projects in the 2023 Plan represent $2.44 billion in new transmission investments during the next decade. This includes 58 reliability projects representing around $1.94 billion in investments and 15 Public Policy projects representing around $500 million in investments that will enable the interconnection of new resources and replace aging infrastructure.

The major transmission projects identified in the 2023 Plan are expected to be implemented during the next 10 years by the transmission owners to enhance system reliability and resiliency, support the addition of new generation resources, and potentially enable increased economic electricity transfers across the transmission network.

The 2023 Plan report can be viewed on the NCTPC website under the Reference Documents section at nctpc.org/nctpc/home.jsp.

The 2023 Plan, relative to the 2022 Plan, includes 24 new Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) and 12 new Duke Energy Progress (DEP) reliability projects totaling $1.07 billion in new transmission investments. Appendices C and D in the 2023 Plan report contain the specific details on all 58 reliability projects identified in the 2023 Plan, which includes 22 reliability projects from the previous year’s plan report. The in-service dates and cost estimates for some planned or underway 2023 reliability projects have been revised from the previous year’s plan report.

The 2023 Plan, relative to the 2022 Plan, includes one new DEP project resulting from the Public Policy Planning Process. This new project added to the previously identified 14 projects brings the total to around $500 million in new transmission investments for Public Policy projects. Appendices E and F in the 2023 Plan report contain the specific details on each of these 15 Public Policy projects.

The NCTPC was formed in 2005 by the load-serving entities (LSEs) to ensure DEC and DEP develop a shared plan for electric transmission system enhancements located in the states of North Carolina and South Carolina. Those LSEs include DEC, DEP, ElectriCities of North Carolina, which serves public power communities across the Carolinas, and North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives’ generation and transmission arm, North Carolina EMC (NCEMC), which serves as the power supplier for most of the state’s electric cooperatives.

Since its inception in 2005, transmission projects totaling around $3.94 billion have been identified in the NCTPC plans. More than $1.2 billion in projects have been placed in service through the end of 2023. Today, there are around $2.44 billion in projects still in the planning stage to support reliability and ongoing Public Policy initiatives. Another $300 million in projects were deferred until after 2033 or cancelled as a result of changing transmission system requirements. The plan is updated annually.

The NCTPC was established to provide participants and other stakeholders an opportunity to participate in the electric transmission planning process and develop a single coordinated transmission plan that includes reliability, resource supply additions, public policy, and local economic study transmission planning considerations. The group’s priority is to appropriately balance costs, benefits and risks associated with the use of transmission and generation resources.

Another goal of the NCTPC is to study the strength of the transmission infrastructure of DEC and DEP. The scope of the 2023 NCTPC study included a base reliability analysis for transmission needs to meet load growth between 2023 and 2033. For a variety of reasons, such as load growth, generation retirements, or power purchase agreements expiring, participants and other stakeholders may wish to evaluate other potential economic upgrades as a means to increase transmission access to potential supply resources inside and outside the DEC and DEP Balancing Areas.

For the 2023 Study, the NCTPC received two Public Policy Study requests: (1) the interconnection of high volumes of solar and solar plus storage to the DEC and DEP transmission systems; and (2) the generation retirements and resource supply additions as provided in the 2022 Duke Carbon Plan Portfolios. The final scope of the 2023 Public Policy Study assumed a combination of scenarios from these two requests, incorporating input from the OSC and in consultation and coordination with the two study requestors. The Public Policy Study analysis is still in progress. The results of the 2023 Public Policy Study will be published in a supplemental report at a later date, anticipated to be Q1 2024.

“Effective planning is an essential part of supporting the growing energy needs of the Carolinas and the customers served by our transmission system,” said Avni Patel of Duke Energy, Chair of the NCTPC Oversight/Steering Committee (OSC). “The NCTPC provides a transparent and collaborative process for entities who rely on the transmission system to coordinate plans for future enhancements in ways that optimize cost effectiveness and reliability.”

The NCTPC process includes active participation of other market participants and stakeholders through a Transmission Advisory Group (TAG), which is open to all interested parties. Stakeholders interested in joining the TAG or receiving information about the NCTPC process can sign up at nctpc.org/nctpc/home.jsp.

During the NCTPC process, an administrative consultant serves as a facilitator who chairs the TAG and solicits input from stakeholders through the open TAG meetings. Richard Wodyka, the current NCTPC consultant, can be reached at rich.wodyka@gmail.com. If you have any comments or questions on the NCTPC process or the 2023-2033 Collaborative Transmission Plan Study Report, contact Richard Wodyka via email or phone at 484-431-0335.

For media inquiries, contact the corporate media relations representatives at each entity:

Duke Energy
– Jeff Brooks: 919.522.1168 | Jeff.Brooks@duke-energy.com

North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives
– Townley Venters: 919.645.2432 | townley.venters@ncemcs.com

ElectriCities of North Carolina (municipals)
– Elizabeth Kadick: 919.760.6285 | ekadick@electricities.org

ElectriCities Celebrates Public Power and the Essential Value It Provides

ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., 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—joins its member communities and the more than 2,000 public power communities across the country in celebrating Public Power Week, Oct. 1-7, 2023.

“Public Power Week is an annual opportunity to shine a light on the value of public power and on the people who help provide that value,” said Roy Jones, CEO of ElectriCities. “Public power providers are not for profit, community-owned, and locally controlled, which means a better quality of life and peace of mind for public power customers.”
Public power providers are known for providing exceptionally reliable, safe, affordable, and sustainable electricity to their customers.

Exceptional reliability is a hallmark of public power. In fact, North Carolina’s public power customers experience nearly 40% fewer outages than other power providers’ customers. And when the power does go out, public power lineworkers restore power faster than other providers do.

“Public power providers in North Carolina keep the power on 99.98% of the time—that averages out to be less than one outage a year for less than an hour,” Jones said. “As critically important as that unmatched reliability is, it’s only part of the public power story.”

Because public power providers are locally owned, locally operated, and locally controlled, they answer to their local customers—not to shareholders, and they make decisions based on what’s best for their customers and their communities. Public power utilities also provide essential jobs that support their local economy.

“In public power communities, the utility’s employees—the lineworkers, customer service representatives, engineers, communicators, and other specialists—are local municipal employees,” Jones said. “As members of the community, they’re dedicated to keeping the lights on for their neighbors.”

Since public power providers are not-for-profit, if revenues do exceed expenses, those resources stay in the community and help with local needs.

A strength of public power is its broad support system. North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia public power providers are part of a mutual aid network that spans the ElectriCities membership and the country, providing invaluable support during hurricanes and other natural disasters while maintaining a superior safety record.

Public power providers share knowledge and access to resources and, together, speak in a unified voice on state and federal issues affecting public power.

“The strength of public power is the value it provides customers and communities,” Jones said. “This Public Power Week and every week, we celebrate that value and all those dedicated to powering their community’s future.”

NCMPA1 and Central Near Completion of Purchase Power Agreement on 150 MW Catawba Generation

North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number 1 (NCMPA1) and Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc., (Central) are near completion of a Purchase Power Agreement enabling Central to purchase nuclear capacity and energy associated with a portion of NCMPA1’s ownership interest in the Catawba Nuclear Station.

Under the terms of the agreement, Central will receive 150 megawatts, totaling 18% of NCMPA1’s project output. The agreement diversifies NCMPA1’s energy resource portfolio and provides wholesale electric rate savings to NCMPA1’s 19 member communities. Analysis shows a 5% savings in wholesale power supply costs over the term of the contract for approximately $254 million in net present value total savings to those North Carolina communities.

“This agreement is an important step in diversifying the energy portfolio for public power communities in the western part of the state and delivers significant wholesale electric rate savings to those communities,” said Roy Jones, CEO of ElectriCities. “The 19 unanimous city and town council votes are a strong reminder of the strength and partnership of those communities working together to set up public power for success now and far into the future.”

The agreement would provide Central, a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina, with additional nuclear capacity to serve South Carolina’s 20 distribution cooperatives.

“We are excited to secure an additional 150 megawatts of reliable, baseload carbon-free generation for South Carolina’s energy portfolio,” said Rob Hochstetler, CEO of Central Electric. “Rising demand for electricity has made it more difficult–and more important–to acquire dependable generation, particularly in the Southeast. Finalizing this deal will help South Carolina stay attractive to new industries and help keep the power on during the times we need it most. This agreement will pay dividends for years to come.”

Completion of the agreement is subject to several conditions, including unanimous consent of all 19 NCMPA1 participant city and town councils. As of Aug. 30, all 19 NCMPA1 participants voted to approve the agreement. The ElectriCities Board of Directors and the NCMPA1 Board of Commissioners approved the agreement earlier this year.

The agreement is slated to go into effect January 1, 2024, and will continue through the term of the Catawba Nuclear Station, which is currently licensed through 2043.

The Catawba Nuclear Station, which consists of two identical units, is jointly owned by NCMPA1, Duke Energy Carolinas, Piedmont Municipal Power Agency, and the North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation, with NCMPA1 owning 75% of Catawba Unit 2.

NCMPA1 is made up of 19 participating cities and towns in piedmont and western North Carolina and provides wholesale power to those participants. The 19 NCMPA1 participants are Albemarle, Bostic, Cherryville, Cornelius, Drexel, Gastonia, Granite Falls, High Point, Huntersville, Landis, Lexington, Lincolnton, Maiden, Monroe, Morganton, Newton, Pineville, Shelby, and Statesville.

About Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.

Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc., is a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina. Together, Central and its 20 member cooperatives serve more than 1.6 million South Carolinians and cover more than 70% of the state’s land mass. South Carolina’s independent, member-owned electric cooperatives formed Central in 1948 in order to pool their resources to purchase wholesale power more efficiently and effectively. As explained in its mission statement, Central “exists solely for the benefit of its members” and one of Central’s most important jobs is to plan for the future power supply needs of its member cooperatives.

Media contact
Avery Wilks
VP, Communications
803-374-3115
Avery.Wilks@ecsc.org

15 North Carolina Public Power Communities Recognized for Excellence

RALEIGH, N.C. — ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., presented 15 North Carolina communities with Public Power Awards of Excellence at ElectriCities’ 2023 Annual Conference held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The awards reflect public power’s strategic priorities, recognizing exceptional achievement in the following categories:

  • Future-focused Recognizing communities that develop a future-focused mindset
  • Strengthen Public Power Celebrating communities that build public and political support for public power
  • Provide Superior Power Highlighting communities that deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable electric power
  • Customer-centered Innovation Celebrating public power providers that innovate and invest to better serve their customers and communities
  • People Recognizing cities and towns that leverage their people as their greatest asset

“There is tremendous value in public power, and this year’s Public Power Awards of Excellence recipients are going above and beyond to demonstrate that value and move public power’s future forward,” said ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones. “I’m honored to recognize these communities and the public power employees who put in the hard work each day to power their neighborhoods.”
This year’s award winners span the state, from Boone to New Bern and represent some of the state’s smallest and largest public power communities.

The 2022 Public Power Awards of Excellence and the winners of each category are:

The FUTURE-FOCUSED AWARD recognizes communities that develop a future-focused mindset. This year’s winners are:

  • Albemarle
  • Fayetteville PWC
  • Greenville Utilities Commission
  • Kinston
  • New Bern
  • New River Light & Power

The STRENGTHEN PUBLIC POWER AWARD celebrates communities that build public and political support for public power. This year’s winners are:

  • Albemarle
  • Apex
  • Fayetteville PWC
  • Granite Falls
  • Greenville Utilities Commission
  • Hamilton
  • Kinston
  • New Bern
  • New River Light & Power
  • Rocky Mount
  • Wilson

The PROVIDE SUPERIOR POWER AWARD highlights communities that deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable electric power. This year’s winners are:

  • Fayetteville PWC
  • Greenville Utilities Commission
  • Kinston
  • New Bern
  • New River Light & Power
  • Rocky Mount
  • Tarboro
  • Wilson

The CUSTOMER-CENTERED INNOVATION AWARD celebrates public power providers that innovate and invest to better serve their customers and communities. This year’s winners are:

  • Apex
  • Fayetteville PWC
  • Gastonia
  • Greenville Utilities Commission
  • Maiden
  • New Bern
  • New River Light & Power
  • Rocky Mount
  • Wilson

The PEOPLE AWARD recognizes cities and towns that leverage their people as their greatest asset. This year’s winners are:

  • Albemarle
  • Fayetteville PWC
  • Greenville Utilities Commission
  • Kinston
  • Maiden
  • New Bern
  • New River Light & Power
  • Rocky Mount
  • Statesville
  • Wilson

Nearly 1.3 million people in more than 70 cities and towns across North Carolina get their electricity from public power providers. Since these 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.

NCMPA1 and Central Reach Purchase Power Agreement on 150 MW Catawba Generation

RALEIGH, N.C. (JUNE 8, 2023) — North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number 1 (NCMPA1) and Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (Central) have reached a Purchase Power Agreement enabling Central to purchase nuclear capacity and energy associated with a portion of NCMPA1’s ownership interest in the Catawba Nuclear Station. The Catawba Nuclear Station, which consists of two identical units, is jointly owned by NCMPA1, Duke Energy Carolinas, Piedmont Municipal Power Agency, and the North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation, with NCMPA1 owning 75% of Catawba Unit 2. Under the terms of the Purchase Power Agreement Central will receive 18 percent of NCMPA1’s project output.

NCMPA1 is made up of 19 cities and towns in piedmont and western North Carolina and provides wholesale power to its 19 participants. If completed, the agreement would diversify NCMPA1’s energy resource portfolio and provide wholesale electric rate savings to NCMPA1’s 19 member communities. The agreement would provide Central, a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative, with additional nuclear capacity to serve South Carolina’s 20 distribution cooperatives.

Completion of the agreement is subject to several conditions including unanimous consent of all 19 of the NCMPA1 participant city and town councils. Should all conditions be met, the sale would be effective January 1, 2024.

 

About ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc. (representing NCMPA1)

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.

Media contact
Elizabeth Kadick
VP, Communications
919-760-6285
ekadick@electricities.org

 

About Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.

Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. is a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina. Together, Central and its 20 member cooperatives serve more than 1.6 million South Carolinians and cover more than 70% of the state’s land mass. South Carolina’s independent, member-owned electric cooperatives formed Central in 1948 in order to pool their resources to purchase wholesale power more efficiently and effectively. As explained in its mission statement, Central “exists solely for the benefit of its members” and one of Central’s most important jobs is to plan for the future power supply needs of its member cooperatives.

Media contact
Avery Wilks
VP, Communications
803-374-3115
Avery.Wilks@ecsc.org