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New partnership with NTE will accelerate efforts to reach climate neutrality

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NRLP General Manager Ed Miller, left, and Appalachian Chief Sustainability Officer Dr. Lee Ball don hard hats while visiting an electric substation. Photo by Marie Freeman

“With the new partnership, the university will no longer have limitations regarding the purchase and development of renewable energy. Our climate action planning process focuses on determining how to finance the additional costs associated with adding significantly more renewable energy to the university's energy portfolio.”

Dr. Lee Ball, Appalachian’s chief sustainability officer

“NRLP is not tied to one generating facility or one source of energy under this contract. With NTE, we will have the ability to go out and purchase energy from other sources in the marketplace, including renewable energy.”

NRLP General Manager Ed Miller

By Chris Nault
Posted Feb. 27, 2020 at 2:51 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. — In less than two years, New River Light and Power (NRLP), the utility owned and operated by Appalachian State University, will begin purchasing power from NTE Carolinas LLC (NTE).

According to NRLP General Manager Ed Miller, the wholesale power agreement, effective in January 2022, “aims to provide choice, cost savings, conservation incentives and innovative rate structures for its customers and the university.”

“With the new partnership, the university will no longer have limitations regarding the purchase and development of renewable energy. Our climate action planning process focuses on determining how to finance the additional costs associated with adding significantly more renewable energy to the university's energy portfolio.”

Dr. Lee Ball, Appalachian’s chief sustainability officer

“Under the NTE contract,” Miller said, “we will be able to create new, innovative rate structures, such as time-of-use rates, so our customers will have more control and choice over their energy consumption and spending. Additionally, we will no longer be restricted in how much solar can be put on our system.”

“Creating the partnership with NTE was the essential step needed for Appalachian to accelerate efforts to reach climate neutrality related to purchased electricity,” said Dr. Lee Ball, Appalachian’s chief sustainability officer. “With the new NTE partnership, the university will no longer have limitations regarding the purchase and development of renewable energy,” Ball said.

Ball continued, sharing how the NTE partnerships will factor into Appalachian’s new Climate Action Plan: “Our climate action planning process focuses on determining how to finance the additional costs associated with adding significantly more renewable energy to the university’s energy portfolio. Additional benefits of the NTE partnership allow NRLP to offer its customers, including the town of Boone, a source of renewable energy that can help them achieve their own climate neutrality goals.”

“NRLP is not tied to one generating facility or one source of energy under this contract. With NTE, we will have the ability to go out and purchase energy from other sources in the marketplace, including renewable energy.”

NRLP General Manager Ed Miller

Miller said, “We are not tied to one generating facility or one source of energy under this contract. With NTE, we will have the ability to go out and purchase energy from other sources in the marketplace, including renewable energy. Our customers have told us they want a choice in where their energy comes from and we are able to offer that under our new agreement.”

Miller shared that a 10% cost reduction has been passed along to NRLP customers since March 2019, “and we expect to see additional cost savings of between 5% and 7% for our customers under our new agreement.”

NRLP serves nearly 8,500 residential and commercial customers who reside in and near the town of Boone. The utility was the fifth lowest cost provider in the state, on average, for residential customers in 2018, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data.

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New River Light and Power
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 Business Affairs — has provided power to Western North Carolina residents. Today, NRLP serves nearly 8,500 residential and commercial customers who reside in and near the town of Boone. In January 2022, the utility will begin purchasing its electricity from Carolina Power Partners — a partnership that opens greater renewable energy opportunities. In partnership with Appalachian’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 highest 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 Appalachian’s general scholarship fund.

Learn more
Trustees approve resolution for energy contract with savings implications
Trustees approve resolution for energy contract with savings implications
Jan. 17, 2019

Appalachian State University’s Board of Trustees signed a resolution that will save New River Power and Light (NRLP) customers and the university hundreds of thousands annually in energy costs.

Read the story
App State creates ‘roadmap to climate neutrality’
App State creates ‘roadmap to climate neutrality’
Dec. 20, 2019

Appalachian is creating a “roadmap to climate neutrality” with its 2020 Climate Action Plan. The new plan will be released April 22, 2020 — the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

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App State’s NRLP awarded $1M for environmental restoration on Middle Fork New River
App State’s NRLP awarded $1M for environmental restoration on Middle Fork New River
Aug. 29, 2019

NRLP Engineering Supervisor Matthew Makdad, recipient of the $1 million grant, said he and his project collaborators are eager to restore the Payne Branch section of the Middle Fork New River to its natural habitat.

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New River Light and Power recognized with Public Power Award of Excellence
New River Light and Power recognized with Public Power Award of Excellence
March 6, 2019

New River Light and Power was recognized for its achievements in all five award categories: communicating the value of public power, grid modernization, continuous improvement, workforce development and wholesale power cost.

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New River Light and Power customers to benefit from new, ‘technologically advanced’ infrastructure
New River Light and Power customers to benefit from new, ‘technologically advanced’ infrastructure
Oct. 9, 2018

The Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is an integrated system of smart meters, communications networks and data management systems enabling two-way communication between NRLP and its customers.

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New River Light and Power’s Good Neighbor Program rounds up for those in need
New River Light and Power’s Good Neighbor Program rounds up for those in need
Oct. 24, 2018

Through the program, NRLP customers can round up their electric bill to the next nearest dollar to assist with paying the electric bills of customers who need financial assistance.

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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.

“With the new partnership, the university will no longer have limitations regarding the purchase and development of renewable energy. Our climate action planning process focuses on determining how to finance the additional costs associated with adding significantly more renewable energy to the university's energy portfolio.”

Dr. Lee Ball, Appalachian’s chief sustainability officer

New River Light and Power
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 Business Affairs — has provided power to Western North Carolina residents. Today, NRLP serves nearly 8,500 residential and commercial customers who reside in and near the town of Boone. In January 2022, the utility will begin purchasing its electricity from Carolina Power Partners — a partnership that opens greater renewable energy opportunities. In partnership with Appalachian’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 highest 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 Appalachian’s general scholarship fund.

Learn more

“NRLP is not tied to one generating facility or one source of energy under this contract. With NTE, we will have the ability to go out and purchase energy from other sources in the marketplace, including renewable energy.”

NRLP General Manager Ed Miller

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Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
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Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian
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