BOONE, N.C. — The achievements of Appalachian State University’s New River Light and Power Co. (NRLP) are no less than excellent — so says ElectriCities of North Carolina Inc., which recognized NRLP with a 2018 Public Power Award of Excellence in February.

“We’re excited to see that the hard work we’ve put in — from our customer service representatives to our line crew — has been recognized, not just for maintaining a reliable system, but for meeting all of the pillars of excellence that public power utilities in North Carolina are recognized for,” said Matt Makdad, engineering supervisor at NRLP.

NRLP, which has provided the Town of Boone and surrounding communities with electric power for more than 100 years, was recognized in all five award categories, which align with ElectriCities’ strategic priorities.

The categories:

• Grid Modernization — focuses on promoting investment in public power communities’ electric distribution systems and in technology to ensure safety and reliability, as well as exceeding customer expectations.
• Value of Public Power — highlights public power communities that communicate the value of electric system ownership to key stakeholders.
• Wholesale Power Cost — recognizes public power communities that provide competitive and stable wholesale electric rates that meet the power supply needs of power agency members.
• Workforce Planning and Development — honors public power communities that promote a workforce plan to attract, develop and retain the necessary human talent to provide safe, reliable power and lead public power forward.
• Continuous Improvement — recognizes cities and towns that constantly review and enhance all aspects of public power while focusing on cost reduction and increased efficiencies in current and future operations.

“We were beyond thrilled with all of the submissions for the 2018 Public Power Awards of Excellence,” said ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones. “Our (public power) communities showed up in record numbers this year, and I think that’s a testament to all of the hard work and dedication that employees and community leaders are putting in each day. They are truly at the heart of public power.”

Diana Wilcox, customer service supervisor and business and technology applications analyst for NRLP, said, “The staff at New River has always worked hard to provide reliable power and excellent customer service. We certainly appreciate being recognized for the efforts we put in to taking care of our customers on a daily basis and are encouraged to continue those efforts as we look for new ways to provide services to our customers.”

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About ElectriCities of North Carolina Inc.

ElectriCities is a membership organization that includes public power communities in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. For more than 50 years, ElectriCities has helped North Carolina public power communities provide safe, reliable and affordable power to their customers. The organization serves more than 1.2 million people in North Carolina public power communities, including 32 members of the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency and 19 members of the North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number 1. Learn more at https://www.electricities.com.

About App State's New River Light and Power

For more than 100 years, Appalachian State University’s New River Light and Power (NRLP) — a nonprofit electric utility operated by the Division of Finance and Operations — has provided power to Western North Carolina residents. Today, NRLP serves nearly 9,000 residential and commercial customers who reside in and near the town of Boone. In January 2022, the utility began purchasing its electricity from Carolina Power Partners — a partnership that opens greater renewable energy opportunities. In partnership with App State’s Office of Sustainability, Facilities Operations and Renewable Energy Initiative, NRLP has assisted with various energy efficiency projects across campus, including installing solar panels and providing funding for the Broyhill Wind Turbine located on Bodenheimer Drive. The utility holds the American Public Power Association’s Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) designation for providing reliable and safe electric service, and approximately $650,000 of its budget is reserved annually for contributions to App State’s general scholarship fund. Learn more at https://nrlp.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.