“In the township, as well as everywhere else, the people are the only source of power… A nation may establish a system of free government, but without the spirit of municipal institutions it cannot have the spirit of liberty.” - Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America
As we get ready to gather for our National Conference in Boston, coinciding with our country’s 250th year, it is notable how the values of our industry coincide with our nation’s founding principles. A core value of the public power model is that local governance makes a utility more accountable to the people it serves.
Local utilities listen and take action accordingly. Being proactive and responsive is very different from being reactive. For public power, the concept of responsiveness has many facets — the service we provide to our community includes both the delivery of reliable power and the anticipation of future needs and disruptions. Responsiveness is about addressing emergencies and being able to quickly restore power in outages or collaborating with others to support community resilience. It is about conducting meaningful outreach and having ample opportunities for feedback (and listening to that feedback).
This issue of Public Power showcases how APPA members and staff are pursuing enhanced responsiveness. Utilities are modernizing their operations centers to improve services and incorporate technology advancements, they are developing outreach strategies that build trust across the community, and they are leveraging data for better decision-making. Responsiveness is also about collaborating with a variety of partners where appropriate, such as MEAG Power’s efforts to train first responders in substation safety and security, and participating in alliances like the Cyber Mutual Assistance program.
An important role for APPA is to provide you with information and tools so you can remain aware of and plan for anticipated community needs. Whether that is staying updated on how various risks are changing or knowing where emerging technologies stand and how they might fit into your planning. Our team works closely with members who participate in a variety of working groups and committees to develop and deliver tools that can help you do your job more efficiently and effectively. One such example is the Emergency Action Plan Template, developed in conjunction with members of the Mutual Aid Committee, that provides guidance and example language for you to create or update a comprehensive emergency action plan.
APPA strives always to be responsive to our members. In this spirit, I am thankful to each of you who provided feedback on our recent member survey. I am encouraged to hear about where we are having a positive effect on your work, and I appreciate the constructive feedback about how we can take further action to better support you. Thank you for your role in helping us meet your needs and in furthering the mission of maintaining and enhancing the excellent service of public power across the nation.
