Engaging Diverse Stakeholder perspectives

Utilities

Utilities are key partners in transition plans for coal-impacted communities. Utilities can provide information about decommissioning and environmental cleanup plans, structures and materials that will be left on the property of a closed site, the number of jobs that will be lost, and if the utility plans to play a role in supporting next steps. Such engagement can help identify common ground between the community’s and the utility’s needs.

Three Major Utility Structures

There are three major power structures in the United States. Depending on the type of utility servicing your community, engagement may look different. It’s important to learn the structure of your utility to better understand their point of view on transition issues such as property reuse.

Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs) are privately-owned electric utilities whose stock is publicly traded. The shareholders of IOUs may or may not be customers living in the utility’s service area. They are for-profit enterprises and their rates are regulated in most states. In 2017, IOUs served three out of every four utility customers in the US.  

Rural Electric Cooperatives are member-owned not-for-profits where the members of the electric co-ops are also the consumers. While electric co-ops exist in 47 states, they are most prevalent in the Midwest and Southeast. Electric co-ops generate 5% of the power in America.

‍Publicly Owned Utilities are owned and operated by federal, state, or local governments.

How and When to Engage

Early communication with your utility is essential when planning for a transition. While each utility may have different protocols for engaging with the community, building two-way communication between the utility and community at the outset, if you don’t already have a relationship with a representative, can lead to a more streamlined transition.

• Seek out the local community engagement staff, if there is one. If your utility has sponsored events in your community, attend the events.
• Invite your utility to convenings of diverse stakeholder groups that are taking place in your community.
• If you are served by an Investor-Owned Utility, it may be beneficial to reach out to both the local office and corporate headquarters to obtain information.
• Engage a neutral third-party to facilitate conversations between utilities and community groups where there is controversy that may impede meaningful conversation.
• State Public Utilities Commissions (PUC) or Public Service Commissions (PSC) regulate public utility services. While some PUC/PSCs are more active than others, reaching out for information or attending a public hearing can be one way to participate in the decision making process. 

In the Field

Many IOUs, electric co-ops, and public power utilities have staff dedicated to engagement with the local community. Some examples are:

• CMS Energy has a team of staff people who engage the community at the local level, pursuing a relationship with community groups and leaders. The company presented their plans for one closure to the local government in the presentation linked here.
• Duke Energy has engagement programs that offer opportunities for the community to have a local contact point who can provide resources and bring in other staff for conversations related to closure.  Economic development contacts are also available and may be good resources to start a conversation about closure.
• TVA  provides contact information for their economic development staff on their website.

Back to Engaging Diverse Stakeholders