ElectriCities Celebrates Electric Lineworkers’ Value, Commitment, and Service

RALEIGH, N.C. (April 8, 2022) — ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., along with public power providers across the state and the country, is honoring and celebrating electric lineworkers this month.

Monday, April 11, is North Carolina Lineworker Appreciation Day, and Monday, April 18, is National Lineworker Appreciation Day. Both days were designated to recognize lineworkers and their contributions to protect public safety, keeping electricity flowing to homes and businesses.

“Day or night, rain or shine, lineworkers rise to the occasion and put the needs of their neighbors and community above their own,” said Roy Jones, CEO of ElectriCities. “They perform difficult work that requires a high level of skill and expertise, and they often do that work in grueling and dangerous conditions for long hours—all while adhering to strict safety protocols.”

In North Carolina, public power lineworkers keep the lights on for nearly 1.3 million people in the more than 70 cities and towns across the state that own and operate their electric system. Nationwide, public power lineworkers support 2,000 cities and towns—more than 49 million people.

Public power lineworkers often live in the cities and towns they serve, maintaining their locally owned and operated electric systems and quickly responding when storms or other disasters damage lines or equipment. These neighbors serving neighbors are key to the exceptional reliability public power providers are known for.

According to data reported to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 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.

Along with keeping their own communities powered, public power lineworkers are part of a mutual aid network that spans the state and the country and enables public power crews to go where help is needed in the wake of disasters that damage electric systems.

“Lineworkers from our member communities never hesitate to answer the call and go where help is needed,” said Gregg Welch, Manager of Programs & Services at ElectriCities and a coordinator of the organization’s Emergency Assistance Program. “That may mean working a few hours or days to help a nearby municipality repair storm damage or, most recently, working a few weeks to help rebuild a hurricane-ravaged system in Houma, Louisiana, or to help build a system that lights up a Navajo reservation for the first time.”

“There’s no doubt, lineworkers power our lives,” said Jones. “Their service to their communities and, when it’s needed, to communities across the state and the country is the backbone of public power. I’m proud to celebrate these hometown heroes, today and every day.”

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