Public Power

Public power utilities are operated by local governments to provide communities with reliable, responsive, not-for-profit electric service. Public power utilities are directly accountable to the people they serve through local elected or appointed officials.

Some of the nation’s largest cities – Los Angeles, San Antonio, Nashville, Seattle and Orlando – operate publicly-owned electric utilities, but many public power communities are small, with their utilities serving 3,000 or fewer customers.

The American Public Power Association, the service organization for the nation’s more than 2,000 community-owned electric utilities. has a host of fact sheets about the benefits of public power.

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Power in numbers

2000

community-owned electric utilities make up public power

45
MILLION

use public energy nationally

14
%

of the nation uses public power

Public Power

Benefits of public power

High reliability

Immediate access to local rate-setting authorities

Local service and repair access

Long-term focus on community growth

Greater portion of revenues stay in the community

Local employment

Attractive nature of community-delivered electricity to new and relocating businesses

Greater awareness of local energy needs