Archives: Press Releases

Twenty public power communities recognized across North Carolina

RALEIGH, NC (FEB. 4, 2020) — ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., has announced the recipients of the 2019 Public Power Awards of Excellence. These awards align with ElectriCities’ five strategic priorities and recognize superior achievement in the areas of communicating the value of public power, grid modernization, continuous improvement, workforce development, and wholesale power cost.

“The commitment and dedication that North Carolina’s public power providers demonstrate to their local communities is extremely impressive,” said ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones. “They are constantly working, in ways big and small, to deliver better service and more value to the millions of North Carolina businesses and homes served by public power.”

 

The 2019 Public Power Awards of Excellence include:

The GRID MODERNIZATION AWARD focuses on promoting investment in public power communities’ electric distribution systems and in technology to ensure safety and reliability, as well as exceeding customer expectations. This year’s winners are Fayetteville PWC, Gastonia, Greenville Utilities Commission, Kinston, New River Light & Power, and Wilson.

 

The VALUE OF PUBLIC POWER AWARD highlights communities that communicate the value of electric system ownership to key stakeholders. This year’s winners are Albemarle, Dallas, Fayetteville PWC, Gastonia, Granite Falls, Greenville Utilities Commission, Kinston, Lexington, Maiden, Morganton, New Bern, New River Light & Power, Rocky Mount, Smithfield, Statesville, Tarboro, and Wilson.

 

The WHOLESALE POWER COST AWARD recognizes communities that provide competitive and stable wholesale electric rates that meet the power supply need of Power Agency Members. This year’s winners are Albemarle, Granite Falls, Greenville Utilities Commission, Kinston, Maiden, Morganton, New River Light & Power, Rocky Mount, Smithfield, Statesville, and Wilson

 

The WORKFORCE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AWARD honors communities that promote a workforce plan to attract, develop and retain the necessary human talent to provide safe, reliable power and lead public power forward. This year’s winners are Albemarle, Apex, Dallas, Fayetteville PWC, Gastonia, Granite Falls, Greenville Utilities Commission, Kinston, Maiden, New River Light & Power, Rocky Mount, Smithfield, Statesville, and Wilson.

 

The CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AWARD recognizes cities and towns that constantly review and enhance all aspects of public power while focusing on cost reduction and increased efficiencies in current and future operations. This year’s winners are Albemarle, Fayetteville PWC, Gastonia, Granite Falls, Greenville Utilities Commission, Hamilton, Kinston, Maiden, New River Light & Power, Rocky Mount, Statesville, Tarboro, Washington, and Wilson.

 

# # #

 

ElectriCities wins three awards for outstanding design from Graphic Design USA

RALEIGH (DEC. 17, 2019) — ElectriCities of North Carolina has won three American Graphic Design Awards from Graphic Design USA for pieces produced that promote the value of public power.

Graphic Design USA’s 56^th Design Annual showcases 600 pieces (winnowed from more than 12,000 entries) that reflect the “many ways that graphic design shapes business and society, products and services, commerce and culture and causes. Winners run the gamut from print and packaging to internet and interactive, from dream assignments to bread and butter endeavors, from established stars to rising newcomers, from red states to blue,” said Gordan Kaye, GDUSA editor and publisher.

ElectriCities’ award-winning submissions, including an economic development flipbook, an electric vehicle charging station wrap design, and a renewables energy brochure, can be viewed here.

“I’m so proud of our team for promoting the value that public power brings to North Carolina communities,” said Michelle Vaught, ElectriCities Vice President of Communications. “We work hard to clearly and creatively communicate the value of public power and this recognition is a testament to that hard work paying off.”

 

About ElectriCities of North Carolina

ElectriCities is the energy behind public power. For more than 50 years, ElectriCities has helped North Carolina public power communities provide safe, reliable and affordable power to their customers. ElectriCities serves more than 1.2 million people in North Carolina public power communities, including 32 members of the N.C. Eastern Municipal Agency (NCEMPA) and 19 members of N.C. Municipal Power Agency #1 (NCMPA1). Learn more at www.electricities.com.

 

About Graphic Design USA

For more than 50 years — since 1963 — Graphic Design USA (GDUSA) has been a business-to-business information source for graphic design professionals. GDUSA covers news, people, project, trends, technology, products and services. The GDUSA brand now includes a 100,000 visitor-a-month website, a monthly e-newsletter, a digital version of the magazine formatted for desktop, tablet and phones, and several national design competitions that culminate in Annuals showcasing the best in Graphic Design, Inhouse Design, Web Design, Package Design, Healthcare Design, and Digital Design. Learn more at Graphic Design USA.

 

Media Contact

Michelle Vaught

ElectriCities Vice President of Corporate Communications

(919) 760-6334

mvaught@electricities.org

ElectriCities wins two awards for outstanding communications from American Public Power Association

RALEIGH (OCT. 30, 2019) — An uplifting video produced by ElectriCities of North Carolina that highlights the dedication of public power lineworkers has won an award of excellence from the American Public Power Association’s Excellence in Public Power Communications Awards. ElectriCities won a second award for the redesign of its website last year.

The annual awards, presented at a national conference this week in New Orleans, recognize utilities that demonstrate outstanding work in print, digital, web, social media, and video communications.

“Our public power communities have important and inspiring stories to tell. I’m so proud of our team for bringing those stories to life and promoting the value that public power brings to North Carolina communities,” said Michelle Vaught, ElectriCities Vice President of Communications. “We work hard to clearly and creatively communicate the value of public power and this recognition is a testament to that hard work paying off.”

ElectriCities partnered with Centerline Digital, a digital communications firm based in Raleigh, on both projects.

 

About the American Public Power Association

APPA is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide. It 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 93,000 people they employ. The association advocates and advises on electricity policy, technology, trends, training, and operations. Our members strengthen their communities by providing superior service, engaging citizens, and instilling pride in community-owned power.

Celebrating 130 years of public power:
Customer Focused, Community Powered

RALEIGH (OCT. 3 2019) — More than seventy communities across North Carolina benefit from the value of public power. These municipal-owned utilities provide safe, reliable electric service and outstanding customer service to more than 1.2 million people in North Carolina.

“As hometown utilities, public power communities always have the best interest of their local residents at heart,” said Roy Jones, CEO of ElectriCities, a non-profit organization that works with public power communities across North Carolina and beyond. “During Hurricane Dorian, it was a true inspiration to see public power communities rally around each other and lend a hand to help their neighbors in need. That type of dedication and support is a hallmark of public power communities.”

Gov. Cooper Commends Public Power Providers

Cities and towns across the nation are celebrating Public Power Week from October 6-12 with special events aimed at recognizing utility workers and promoting the value of public power.

NC Gov. Roy Cooper issued a formal proclamation to celebrate public power, noting that “North Carolina’s public power utilities are valuable community assets that contribute to the well-being of the community. and provide economic development opportunities.”

This year’s theme — Customer Focused, Community Powered — reflects public power’s commitment to meet the needs of the local communities it serves.

Reliability: A Public Power Tradition

Reports show that public power providers consistently outperform investor-owned utilities in terms of reliability. Public power communities experience fewer power outages and get the power restored more quickly than others.

Reliability is a major reason why more than eight out of ten public power customers said they would choose public power if given a choice, according to a statewide survey of 2,500 customers conducted this year.

North Carolina has 25 communities — more than any other state —recognized by the American Public Power Association (APPA) as Reliable Public Power Providers. This special designation is awarded to utilities that provide outstanding reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement.

A Rich History of Public Power in North Carolina

Public power has a rich tradition in North Carolina that dates back to 1889, when the City of Statesville first began using electric lights instead of gas street lamps to illuminate the tiny downtown area. Today, North Carolina ranks among the top 10 providers of public power in the nation.

Nationally, there are more than 2,000 public power providers who serve 49 million people.

As Hurricane Dorian makes its way up the East Coast, North Carolina’s public power communities are well prepared for high winds and heavy rains expected to accompany the storm. Emergency assistance plans have been activated and communities are beginning to stage equipment and resources ahead of the storm.

“Hurricanes are among the most disruptive events our communities face. We’ve all seen the damage these powerful storms can inflict on our communities and understand that getting the power restored quickly is critical to supporting recovery efforts,” said Roy Jones, CEO of ElectriCities, a non-profit organization that serves public power communities in North Carolina and beyond. “We will continue to coordinate closely with local, state and federal government officials as the storm approaches.”

Two advantages that benefit public power communities during hurricanes and other storms:

• Experienced crews of local lineworkers that are standing ready to restore power quickly and safely. The local nature of public power means that lineworkers are always nearby and ready to begin recovery efforts as soon as it is safe to do so.
• An emergency assistance network that leverages the resources of 150+ public power communities. With a coordinated network of emergency support, public power communities can effectively direct restoration efforts to those areas where they are needed most.

Public power communities have a proven record of getting power restored more quickly than other utilities. Statistics show that public power has an average response time of less than 60 minutes when outages occur and restores power 50% faster than the national average.

---

Safety Resources

North Carolina’s public power communities are encouraging residents to prepare for the hurricane by gathering emergency supplies, closely following weather reports, and heeding evacuation and other warnings from authorities.

NC Emergency Management reminds residents to secure property in advance of the storm and to avoid flooded and washed-out roads following the storm. DriveNC.gov is a valuable resource for checking driving conditions.

In addition, the ReadyNC mobile app should be downloaded for up-to-date information on preparedness, evacuations, shelters and more.

There are more than 70 public power communities in North Carolina that serve more than 1.2 million people. For information about public power, visit www.electricities.com.

ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., has announced the recipients of the 2018 Public Power Awards of Excellence. The awards align with ElectriCities’ five strategic priorities and recognize achievement in the areas of communicating the value of public power, grid modernization, continuous improvement, workforce development and wholesale power cost.

“We were beyond thrilled with all of the submissions for the 2018 Public Power Awards of Excellence,” said ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones. “Our communities showed up in record numbers this year, and I think that’s a testament to all of the hard work and dedication that employees and community leaders are putting in each day. They are truly at the heart of public power.”

The grid modernization award focuses on promoting investment in public power communities’ electric distribution systems and in technology to ensure safety and reliability, as well as exceeding customer expectations. This year’s winners are: Gastonia, Kinston, Albemarle, New River Light and Power, Greenville Utilities Commission, and Fayetteville PWC.

The value of public power award highlights communities that communicate the value of electric system ownership to key stakeholders. This year’s winners are: Granite Falls, Statesville, Fayetteville PWC, Albemarle, Gastonia, Greenville Utilities Commission, High Point, Kinston, Lexington, Hamilton, Maiden, New River Light and Power, Rocky Mount, Tarboro, Wake Forest, Wilson, and Smithfield.

The wholesale power cost award recognizes communities that provide competitive and stable wholesale electric rates that meet the power supply need of Power Agency Members. This year’s winners are: Granite Falls, Statesville, Albemarle, Gastonia, Greenville Utilities Commission, High Point, Kinston, New River Light and Power, Rocky Mount, Smithfield, and Wilson.

The workforce planning and development award honors communities that promote a workforce plan to attract, develop and retain the necessary human talent to provide safe, reliable power and lead public power forward. This year’s winners are: Albemarle, Benson, Fayetteville PWC, Fremont, Gastonia, Granite Falls, Greenville Utilities Commission, High Point, Kinston, New River Light and Power, Rocky Mount, Smithfield, and Laurinburg.

The continuous improvement award recognizes cities and towns that constantly review and enhance all aspects of public power while focusing on cost reduction and increased efficiencies in current and future operations. This year’s winners are: Statesville, Lexington, New River Light and Power, Rocky Mount, Wake Forest, Greenville Utilities Commission, and Fayetteville PWC.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Participants in the North Carolina Transmission Planning Collaborative (NCTPC), made up of representatives from the state’s electric utilities, have identified 19 major projects that will maintain and improve the electric transmission network as part of the 2018-2028 Collaborative Transmission Plan (“2018 plan”) for North Carolina. The projects represent more than $657 million in investments during the next decade.

The major transmission projects identified in the 2018 plan are expected to be implemented during the next 10 years by the transmission owners to preserve system reliability and improve economic electricity transfers across the transmission network. Major projects are defined as those requiring transmission investments of more than $10 million.

The 2018 plan report can be viewed on the NCTPC website under the Reference Documents section at nctpc.org/nctpc/home.jsp.

The transmission projects for Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Carolinas in the 2018 plan include one new Duke Energy Progress project; four new Duke Energy Carolinas projects; and two Duke Energy Progress projects that were placed in service. In addition, two Duke Energy Carolinas projects and one Duke Energy Progress project were canceled. Appendices B and C in the 2018 plan report contains the specific details on each of the 19 major reliability projects identified in the plan.

In-service dates and cost estimates for some projects that are planned or underway have been revised.

The NCTPC was formed in 2005 to develop a shared plan for electric transmission system enhancements in the state. Participants include Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress, North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation and ElectriCities of North Carolina.

Since its inception in 2005, projects totaling more than $1.5 billion have been identified in the NCTPC plans. More than $688 million in projects have been placed in service through the end of 2018, $606 million are still in the planning stage and another $244 million are being deferred until after 2028 or cancelled as a result of changing transmission system requirements. The 2017 plan included an estimate of $426 million for 17 projects. 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 for North Carolina and develop a single coordinated transmission plan that includes reliability 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 North Carolina’s transmission infrastructure. The scope of the 2018 NCTPC study included a base reliability analysis for transmission needs to meet load growth between 2018 and 2028. In 2018, the NCTPC also examined the interconnection and network transmission system impacts of serving 300 MW of hypothetical load at six potential economic development sites that would have a choice of electric provider.

“The NCTPC brings all the state’s utilities together to assess the future of our electric transmission system and leverage the opportunities provided by the state’s changing utility landscape, including the continued adoption of renewables, improved energy efficiency and the incorporation of edge of grid technology,” said North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation’s John Lemire, chair of the NCTPC Oversight Steering Committee. “This year we also conducted a local economic study to determine the electric transmission infrastructure needs for several economic development sites that will support the growth and prosperity of communities across the state. All of these efforts allow us to better serve utility customers throughout North Carolina and ensure that we are providing them with the most reliable and affordable power possible.”

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 by going to the NCTPC website:  nctpc.org/nctpc/home.jsp.

During the NCTPC process, an administrative consultant serves as a facilitator who chairs the TAG and solicits input from the other stakeholders through the open TAG meetings. Richard Wodyka, the current NCTPC consultant, can be reached at rawodyka@aol.com.

If you have any comments or questions on the NCTPC process or the 2018-2028 Collaborative Transmission Plan Study Report, contact John Lemire at john.lemire@ncemcs.com or 919.875.3124.

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

ElectriCities of North Carolina (municipals)

• Michelle Vaught: 919.760.6334 | mvaught@electricities.org

Duke Energy

• Meghan Musgrave Miles: 980.373.2556 | Miles@duke-energy.com

North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation (co-ops)

• Lisa Crawley: 919.645.3427 | Lisa.Crawley@ncemcs.com

We are monitoring the lingering effects of Winter Storm Diego.

As of 8:30 a.m., public power communities reported approximately 300 outages.

The Emergency Assistance program continues to be prepared and ready to respond if needed. As a reminder, it is activated by members through a call for assistance to Gregg Welch or Clarice Wilson at 919-760-6027.

We will keep you updated as things develop, and as always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can be of any additional assistance. Meanwhile, please continue to stay safe and warm!

ElectriCities of North Carolina Inc. has designated a 121.3-acre Smart Site in Apex’s Cash Corporate Center park. The designation guarantees that the site has met stringent requirements and is shovel-ready for new development.

Located on Production Drive in Apex, N.C., the Smart Site is approximately .2 miles from U.S. 1, two miles from I-540, and 18 miles from Raleigh-Durham International Airport. The site is also within 145 miles of the North Carolina Ports in Wilmington, N.C. The town of Apex serves the site’s utility services, including electricity, water and sewer. AT&T provides telecommunications services.

The site will now be marketed to growing businesses as a prime site for development in North Carolina.

About the Smart Sites Program
ElectriCities created the Smart Sites program in 2014 to help member communities prepare shovel-ready sites for economic development.

“In today’s competitive environment, it’s rare for a company to locate on an undeveloped property,” explains Daniels. “New and expanding companies expect existing buildings or a prepared, shovel-ready site to shorten the amount of time needed for construction. We created Smart Sites to expedite economic development in NC Public Power communities.”

Earning the Smart Sites designation is challenging. Potential sites must meet specific requirements and undergo an extensive review process by site selection experts, including Engineering Consulting Services and Creative Economic Development Consulting. Each site must have municipal electric service, have water and sewer access within 500 feet, and be within five miles of an interstate or interstate-quality highway.

ElectriCities markets Smart Sites at trade shows and industry events around the world. Other Smart Sites are in Farmville, Greenville, Kinston, Laurinburg, New Bern, Morganton, Albemarle, Shelby, Statesville, Tarboro, Washington and Wilson.

Learn More
To learn more about Wake County’s new Smart Site, the Smart Sites program, or economic development in NC Public Power communities, contact Brenda Daniels at bdaniels@electricities.org or 919-760-6363, or visit https://www.electricities.com/EconDev .

North Carolina is home to more than 70 public power communities that provide safe, reliable electric service and outstanding customer service to more than 1.2 million people.

“As hometown utilities, public power communities always have the best interest of their local residents at heart,” said Roy Jones, CEO of ElectriCities, a non-profit organization that works with public power communities across North Carolina and beyond. “During the recent hurricane, it’s been a true inspiration to see public power communities rally around each other and lend a hand to help their neighbors in need. That type of dedication and support is a hallmark of public power communities.”

Gov. Cooper Commends Public Power Providers

Cities and towns across the nation are celebrating Public Power Week from October 7-13 with special events aimed at recognizing utility workers and promoting the value of public power. Gov. Roy Cooper issued a formal proclamation to celebrate public power, commending public power utilities as valuable assets that contribute to the well-being of the community.

This year’s theme — “public power for the public good” — is a testament to the many ways that local power providers improve the quality of life in their communities. Those efforts include promoting economic development initiatives that create new jobs, providing emergency assistance in the aftermath of storms, and much more.

Reliability: A Public Power Tradition

Statistics show that public power providers consistently outperform investor-owned utilities when it comes to reliability. Public power communities experience fewer power outages and get the power restored more quickly than others.

Reliability is a major reason why 86 percent of public power customers said they are satisfied with their service and would choose public power if given a choice, according to a statewide survey conducted earlier this year.

North Carolina has 24 communities — more than any other state —recognized by the American Public Power Association (APPA) as Reliable Public Power Providers. This special designation is awarded to utilities that provide outstanding reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement.

A Rich History of Public Power in North Carolina

Public power has a rich tradition in North Carolina that dates back to 1889, when the City of Statesville began using electric lights instead of gas street lamps to illuminate the tiny downtown area. Today, North Carolina ranks among the top 10 providers of public power in the nation.

Nationally, there are more than 2,000 public power providers who serve 49 million people.