Across the U.S. there are consistent themes to the top-of-mind issues facing public power leaders — workforce, supply chain, increasing costs, permitting delays, and, in many areas, the challenges around growth. The questions are varied: how to spur, control, predict, or plan for it, and how to manage growth once it is imminent?
While growth in most areas has been moderate — around 1% to 2% per year increase in sales or customers — some communities are grappling with faster double-digit growth and development along with all the associated challenges. While there can be many benefits for local jobs, economic and community development, and a boost in franchise fees and taxes, there also are an array of considerations around power supply, interconnection, system operations, investment cost and risk, ratemaking, and impact to the local community.
This issue of Public Power magazine explores how public power utilities are approaching and managing issues related to various types of growth. Some utilities already are positioning their utilities to be attractive to data center customers while others want to know more about what to expect in working with those unique customers. Some public power utilities are exploring how to keep up with booming populations or increasing customers. And still others are working across their communities to make sure their infrastructure is ready to handle increased electrification of transportation, buildings, and other end uses.
In an uncertain domestic and global economy, the rate or consistency of growth can hinge on many factors that are difficult to forecast or control. This includes policy both at the state level and in the federal realm, where APPA advocates to promote reliability and affordability for public power in availability of financing and around impact of federal regulation and permitting. Issues related to load growth are a central focus of discussions at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, where APPA is engaged to shape the rules that may affect our members. Utility plans, project costs, and timelines will continue to be affected by ongoing supply chain constraints and uncertainty in international trade issues. Meanwhile, generating capacity development pushes ahead to meet the clearly climbing demand.
We hope you enjoy and gather insights from the stories about growth in this issue. If you have a story or project that you think your colleagues would value hearing, please reach out to me or anyone on our news team at News@PublicPower.org. And, for more opportunities to learn, please remember to check for new virtual or in-person opportunities on our website, and at our National Conference soon in New Orleans. See you there!
