When I arrived at the Association as its general counsel in 2004, our board chair was Jan Schori, general manager of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. She was truly inspiring for me—a woman CEO at a large public power utility, very smart and able, but not afraid to poke fun at herself

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, forming a public power utility was a necessity for many communities. As larger corporations began establishing electric services in bigger cities, where the return on investment was most certain, small- and medium-sized communities across the country were

While they might not be as high-profile as the Wall Street mergers and acquisitions that make the headlines — or provide fodder for binge-worthy legal dramas on streaming services — Main Street has had its share of takeover attempts for community-owned electric utilities run by the local (or

Keeping electricity costs low is a priority for public power. Nationwide, the average residential customer served by public power pays 11.8 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared to 11.9 cents for cooperative utilities and 13.5 cents for customers served by investor-owned utilities. For the average U.S

It is a best practice for every public power utility to conduct a periodic valuation of its services and assets, even when the skies are blue and there is no threat of a potential sale looming. A valuation usually underscores the core benefits of public power — competitive retail rates, a track