Earlier this year, The American Public Power Association enlisted Utility Financial Solutions, LLC to develop the following report as part of the Moving Public Power Forward strategic initiative. You can download the report below. As new types of electric loads...
I’ve heard it said that individuals of the current generation would not be able to fathom life 100 years ago. Our society today is integrated with technological innovation in almost every facet of life. We depend on computers, cell phones, appliances and various forms...
The increase in revenue coming from the federal government is an excellent opportunity for municipalities to make a lasting impact on their communities. Investing the grant money into building quality infrastructure can ensure that communities receive steady, reliable...
The APPA recently published a piece by Susan Partain that does a fantastic job of describing the complexity of rate change, especially in today's world. The author quotes Mark Beauchamp regarding how rate setting has changed and the consequences of not setting...
Our industry has had no shortage of extraordinary events that have affected electric sales. In the last year utilities have faced rising power supply costs, unprecedented inflation, and rolling blackouts. Our systems also face yearly threats of hurricanes, wind...
"This article was originally published by Mark Beauchamp on Hometown Connections on November 8, 2021. https://www.hometownconnections.com/news/direction-for-a-new-age-in-energy/ " Ten years ago, a lot of questions and uncertainty clouded our vision of the future for...
Public Power Utilities identify electricity rates based on cost of service while keeping customer needs and the community’s objectives front and center.
As community-owned utilities, they do not answer to remote shareholders and are not driven by a profit motive. Revenues are invested right back into the utility and community.
Current financial data on the impact of COVID-19 on community-owned utilities reveals several national trends and the need to factor in case-by-case issues during the analysis. Above all, the data makes clear that the best strategy for a strong recovery is following the fundamentals of utility financial management: develop key financial targets, make a plan to meet those targets, and stay true to the plan.
Electric rate structures have the potential to evolve and benefit utilities and customers. Advancements in technology have made it possible to recognize and charge customers based on their usage patterns, relay accurate price signals, and design rate structures that reflect the fixed and variable costs of providing electric service.