The American Public Gas Association recently recognized 2026 System Operational Achievement Recognition (SOAR) program winners, which included a number of APPA members.
SOAR is an excellence recognition program for outstanding utility operations and safety practices.
Attaining the APGA SOAR shows board members, community leaders, service providers and customers a utility's commitment to operational excellence, APGA noted.
Applications are reviewed by a team of experts from the APGA Operations & Safety Committee and are awarded a rating based on a total cumulative score of points achieved from the program criteria in each of the four areas.
Utilities can receive one of three SOAR recognition levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. SOAR continues for three years, at which point the utility may apply again to maintain recognition.
A utility may also resubmit at any point for consideration to be recognized at a higher level of SOAR.
The 2026 Gold SOAR winners are as follows (2026-2028):
- Scottsboro Water, Sewer & Gas Board, AL,
- Lake Apopka Natural Gas District, City of Tallahassee Gas Department,
- City of Lawrenceville
- Holyoke Gas & Electric (HG&E)
- City of Wilson - Wilson Energy,
- York County Natural Gas Authority,
- Borough Of Chambersburg,
- Philadelphia Gas Works,
- Powell-Clinch Utility District (PCUD), and City of Ellensburg.
The 2026 (2026-2028) Silver SOAR winners are:
- Norwich Public Utilities,
- Middleborough Gas & Electric Department,
- Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department, Westfield Gas + Electric/Whip City Fiber, and
- City of Hamilton, Ohio.
The 2026 (2026-2028) Bronze SOAR winners are:
- CGS Energy,
- Easton Utilities,
- Greenwood CPW,
- Town of Smyrna, and
- CPS Energy.
APPA members have also earned SOAR awards for other time periods.
