This year, ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., celebrates 60 years of service to public power communities.
ElectriCities, the membership organization that provides power supply and related critical services to 99 community-owned electric systems in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, was created by the North Carolina General Assembly’s Electric Act of 1965 to support public power communities in the region.
Sixty years later, ElectriCities and public power providers continue their mission to better serve citizens through safe, reliable, and affordable electric power, it noted.
“Through political changes, economic highs and lows, and significant evolution in the energy industry, ElectriCities has maintained its commitment to support the success of public power,” said ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones. “ElectriCities members are in the public power business because they know they can provide better, more reliable electric service to their customers—their neighbors,” said Jones. “Public power utilities don’t answer to shareholders or investors. They answer to their community.”
ElectriCities manages the power supply for North Carolina’s two power agencies: the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (NCEMPA) and the North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number One (NCMPA1). NCEMPA consists of 32 cities and towns in eastern North Carolina while NCMPA1 is made up of 19 cities and towns in piedmont and western North Carolina. Cities and towns that are members of NCEMPA or NCMPA1 own and operate their electric systems and provide power to their local customers.
Significant milestones mark ElectriCities’ 60-year history, including more recent successes that have saved public power communities and customers hundreds of millions of dollars while supporting increased electric reliability.
In eastern North Carolina, the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency’s 2015 $1.25 billion sale of assets to Duke Energy resulted in an average wholesale rate reduction of 19%.
This past July, the eastern Power Agency made its final debt service payment, marking a major milestone signifying those communities’ commitment to providing affordable, reliable power to their public power customers.
In western North Carolina, the North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number 1’s wholesale power costs have reduced by 45% over the past 10 years, and NCMPA1’s 19 member communities have received an additional $275 million back from the Power Agency over the last decade.
“Public power is known for its unbeaten reliability, affordable electric rates, community focus, and passionate employees,” said Jones. “ElectriCities is honored to carry on the proud tradition of supporting public power and the people who keep their communities powered.”
"Recognized as an industry leader among its peers across the country, ElectriCities continues to expand member services and programs to better support public power communities, from economic development to technology upgrades to legislative advocacy. ElectriCities’ continued success serves as a testament to its leadership, employees, Board of Directors, and member communities," it said.
