lightning behind a transmission tower
Disaster Response and Mutual Aid

Mutual Aid and Emergency Response

When storms and other large-scale events cause widespread blackouts, public power utilities are out working hard to restore and repair the system, and help communities rebound. Utilities turn to the mutual aid network to give and get help to restore their systems following major events.
July 14, 2023
network of dots framing the continental us
Disaster Response and Mutual Aid

Mutual Aid Playbook

Updated June 2024 The Mutual Aid Playbook provides a process for coordinating activities, information, and resources across a three-tiered national network. The playbook is intentionally flexible and scalable to enable...
June 1, 2024

Submission for Mutual Aid Commendation

Mutual aid is at the heart of what public power does. At its core, it’s about neighbors helping neighbors—even if your “neighbor” is a sister utility hundreds (or thousands) of miles away.

The American Public Power Association’s Mutual Aid Commendation Program aims to recognize utilities that have answered the call for assistance and aided another utility in restoring power to its customers. Commendation nominations should be for mutual aid events in the past 12 months. Recipients will receive a letter, certificate and sample press release.

Highway with blowing snow and blizzard conditions with power lines on the right
Disaster Response and Mutual Aid

Storm Center and Mutual Aid

Updates Nashville Electric Service Says Power Restored to All Customers Capable of Receiving It, February 7, 2026 DOE Issues Emergency Orders to Help Florida Public Power Utilities Meet Increased Power...
Utility crews fixing damaged power lines after a storm
Disaster Response and Mutual Aid

FEMA Mutual Aid Reimbursement Templates

This suite of resource documents, developed by APPA's Mutual Aid Committee, is for public power utilities that responded to a call for mutual aid. Utilities can use this set of...
February 12, 2026
transmission towers
Disaster Response and Mutual Aid

APPA Holds Mutual Aid Exercise, Mutual Aid Committee Spring Meeting Tackles Key Topics

The American Public Power Association recently held a public power Mutual Aid Committee Exercise that was sponsored by the Department of Energy.
Three lineworkers in bucket trucks doing repair work on a utility pole
Disaster Response and Mutual Aid

Better Help: How the Mutual Aid Network Keeps Improving

How the Public Power Mutual Aid Network keeps improving, and why continuing to grow utility involvement is key to its success.
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Disaster Response and Mutual Aid

Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation Partners With APPA on Mutual Aid Workshop

The Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation, in partnership with the American Public Power Association, in September hosted a multi-agency mutual aid workshop.