An ice storm that hit Oregon in January was “orders of magnitude larger than anything we’ve seen before,” Kyle Roadman, General Manager of Oregon public power utility Emerald People’s Utility District, said in the latest episode of Public Power Now. In the episode, he details how Emerald People’s Utility District crews worked to rapidly restore power to customers in the wake of the ice storm and how the utility communicated with customers during power restoration work. Roadman also discusses Emerald PUD’s focus on reliability improvements and new customer services this year.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Dan Beans, Electric Utility Director for the public power community of Roseville, California, provides an overview of supply chain challenges facing Roseville’s utility and details the strategies that the utility has implemented to address those challenges. He also discusses state mandates that Roseville’s utility is facing and the ways in which the utility is working to meet those mandates.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Kim Rikalo and Star Walker, who work for California public power utility SMUD, discuss the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and LIHEAP Action Day, which falls this year on February 7.  Rikalo, SMUD’s Manager for Residential and Assistance Delivery, and Walker, SMUD’s Segment Delivery Supervisor for Assistance Delivery, detail the importance of LIHEAP for SMUD’s customers and explain why it’s important for public power utilities to participate in events such as LIHEAP Action Day.

Among the many ways in which the Indiana Municipal Power Agency is proactively helping its member communities is the creation of an IMPA services group that serves as a line department for certain towns or cities. “We do all the operation and maintenance for those communities,” said Jack Alvey, President and CEO of IMPA, in the latest episode of Public Power Now. This has helped member communities address retirements and funding their own line departments. Alvey also details the ways in which IMPA helps its member communities with economic development activities and the development of solar energy projects.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Darren Springer, General Manager of Vermont public power utility Burlington Electric Department, offers an update on Burlington’s Net Zero by 2030 goal and details how Burlington Electric Department is helping to achieve this goal. Springer also provides additional details about how the utility will benefit from joining the Vermont Public Power Supply Authority as a strategic member.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Amme Storma, a financial analyst with Wisconsin public power utility Kaukauna Utilities, and Laura Beeman, a managing consultant with Beam Reach Consulting Group, provide insights on community benefits plans, which the Department of Energy requires as part of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act funding opportunity announcements and loan applications. Among other things, Storma and Beeman detail the key elements of a successful community benefits plan.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Jeffrey Stewart, Director of Louisiana public power utility Lafayette Utilities System, details the benefits of public power utilities participating in APPA’s 2024 Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo. Lafayette Utilities System is hosting the Lineworkers Rodeo, which will take place on April 5-6 in Lafayette, Louisiana.

At Massachusetts public power utility Groton Electric Light Department, “customer service has always been our focus, from the top down,” said Kevin Kelly, General Manager at Groton Electric Light Department, in the latest episode of Public Power Now. The utility was recently recognized by APPA with a Public Power Customer Satisfaction Award for providing excellent service to its community.

In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Tim Bryant, who became CEO and General Manager of North Carolina-based public power utility Fayetteville Public Works Commission in August, details what his priorities have been since taking on his new role at the utility. Bryant also discusses the steps that the utility has taken to achieve high levels of reliability.

This episode of Public Power Now features a recent APPA webinar that details how APPA members can benefit from participating in three Association programs: the Demonstration of Energy & Efficiency Developments program, the Reliable Public Power Provider program and the Smart Energy Provider program. The webinar includes public power officials who detail how their utilities have engaged with these programs and the benefits that have flowed from the programs.