LAKEWOOD, CO—June 1, 2018 – To bring greater value to public power utilities across the United States, the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority, American Municipal Power, Inc., Missouri Public Utility Alliance, Northern California Power Agency, and the Vermont Public Power Supply Authority today invested in Hometown Connections, Inc. This investment included purchasing the majority of Hometown Connections International assets from the American Public Power Association (Association). The Alabama Municipal Electric Authority was a minority investor in Hometown Connections International and will transfer its membership share into Hometown Connections, Inc. Read More about Joint Action Agencies Invest in Hometown Connections to Serve Public Power Utilities Nationwide »
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Navigate the Challenges Ahead with Strategic Planning Support from Hometown Connections
Technology costs, workforce shortages, new regulations, power supply changes, budget pressures, cyber threats…The path forward is easier when you bring in Hometown Connection for Strategic Planning Support.
We understand your struggle to balance the demands of daily operations with the need to set long-term goals and priorities. You are likely facing: Read More about Navigate the Challenges Ahead with Strategic Planning Support from Hometown Connections »
Paducah Power System Plan Lays Out Long-Term Strategic Goals
The strategic plan recently approved by Paducah Power System includes its vision, mission and values, as well as five areas it intends to focus on in the years ahead. The planning process began in November and involved senior management and the board as well as an implementation team, which includes a number of employees. It was facilitated by Steve VanderMeer, senior vice president with Hometown Connections, the utility services subsidiary of the American Public Power Association. Read More about Paducah Power System Plan Lays Out Long-Term Strategic Goals »
Reduce AMI Deployment Costs, Complexity, Ongoing Financial Risk
Select Managed Service Strategy by Hometown Connections. Advanced metering offers critical improvements to utility operations and customer service. Yet due to costs and complexity, deploying AMI remains out of reach for too many public power systems. If you fear AMI is not an option, Hometown Connections has the answer. The Hometown Connections approach to AMI for public power is a “Meter to Data Center” managed service program which reduces management complexity, increases operation efficiency, and lowers long-term cost and risk. Read More about Reduce AMI Deployment Costs, Complexity, Ongoing Financial Risk »
Lakeland Electric Is Transforming the Customer Relationship
With Interactive, Online Energy Management Tools
With advanced metering in place, Florida’s Lakeland Electric decided to leverage its data collection and management capabilities to help customers engage with the utility in meaningful and productive ways. The utility selected the web-based energy analysis, education, and engagement platform, EMPOWER, from Apogee Interactive to transform its relationship with customers. Read More about Lakeland Electric Is Transforming the Customer Relationship »
Paducah Power Completes Strategic Planning Sessions
Paducah Power System board members and staff wrapped up their strategic planning process Thursday, identifying several priorities and goals. The process began in November and was facilitated by Steve VanderMeer, senior vice president with Hometown Connections, the utility services subsidiary of the American Public Power Association. Read More about Paducah Power Completes Strategic Planning Sessions »
Customer Surveys Provide Roadmap for Public Power’s Future
The changing electric industry landscape has compelled many public power utilities to take a more in-depth look at how satisfaction and preferences are changing among their customers. Two public power organizations, ElectriCities of North Carolina and Turlock Irrigation District in California, took on customer survey projects in 2017, working through GreatBlue Research. Read More about Customer Surveys Provide Roadmap for Public Power’s Future »
Navajo Tribal Utility Authority Focuses on Customer Service As Strategic Pillar
For Walter W. “Wally “Haase, becoming the general manager ten years ago of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority meant tackling issues little known to him and to the rest of public power. With a vast and imposing physical landscape inhabited largely by impoverished citizens, the Navajo Nation needed greatly expanded and more reliable utility services. With help from the staff of Hometown Connections, Haase, the NTUA Management Board, and employees at NTUA are organizing their effort to improve the community around a program to improve the utility customer experience. Read More about Navajo Tribal Utility Authority Focuses on Customer Service As Strategic Pillar »
Pennsylvania’s Berlin Borough Breaks Ground on Distributed Generation Project
Pictured from left: borough secretary Tom Jones, American Municipal Power marketing manager Brandon Poddany, Councilman Tom Fisher, Mayor Joe Krause, council President Brett Custer, PowerSecure public utilities vice president Robert Tugwell and PowerSecure senior project manager Josh Burns
The official groundbreaking for Berlin Borough’s multi-million-dollar generation project with PowerSecure was held Oct. 4, 2016, near the Pennsylvania municipality’s substation. The diesel generators, which will be able to provide 3.75 megawatts of electricity for peak load shaving, should be operational by Dec. 1.
The Borough of Berlin serves approximately 1,150 electric customers. It buys wholesale power from American Municipal Power, of Ohio, and then distributes it to its customers. Read More about Pennsylvania’s Berlin Borough Breaks Ground on Distributed Generation Project »
Holyoke Gas & Electric Turns to Distributed Generation for Backup Emergency Power & Peak Load Reduction
Massachusetts-based public power utility Holyoke Gas & Electric (HG&E) is utilizing a PowerSecure Distributed Generation (DG) unit comprised of two natural gas engines to provide backup emergency power for the utility’s control center and to help manage peak load demand. The public power utility commissioned the distributed generation unit in late 2015 and the engines, which are placed in a sound-mitigating enclosure, each have a full nameplate rating of 200 kW. Read More about Holyoke Gas & Electric Turns to Distributed Generation for Backup Emergency Power & Peak Load Reduction »