To help public power electric utilities apply for certification by the American Public Power Association’s Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) program, Paul Allen joined the staff of Hometown Connections in 2012 after retiring from the Nashville, Tenn., Electric Service (NES) as Vice President, Operations (Engineering). The purpose of the RP3 program is to encourage public power utilities to operate an efficient and reliable distribution system by demonstrating proficiency in four disciplines: reliability, safety, work force development, and system improvement. Mr. Allen evaluates utilities’ RP3 readiness and reviews their applications. He has supported twenty RP3 applications since 2012, with nearly all utilities receiving the Platinum or higher designation. All have shown significant improvement of their RP3 scores over time.
Mr. Allen was a member of the Association’s RP3 Panel from 2005 through 2012, serving as chairman from 2009 to 2012. While with the Nashville Electric Service, he participated in the RP3 program pilot and led the preparation of NES’s successful applications, resulting in platinum and diamond designations. Allen also brings to Hometown Connections his broad knowledge of municipal utility engineering, operations, finance, and legal issues.