Perspective

There was a time when utilities sat down with neighbors to listen to local concerns.

Let's bring it back. When was the last time your local utility held an open house to talk about its latest project, or how it might affect the community?

During the 1980s and early 1990s, many leading utilities learned to engage the public through open meetings whenever the siting of a new facility might prove controversial. Florida Power & Light used advisory groups to help select routes for transmission lines. Kansas City Power & Light conducted an open house on electric and magnetic fields (EMF) that drew more than 1,000 participants--with staff serving as baby-sitters while parents participated! Cincinnati Gas & Electric even sponsored a national conference on public participation.

Utility associations got into the act as well. Edison Electric Institute (EEI) sponsored a public participation guide. EEI, the American Public Power Association, and the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association all scheduled training courses on public involvement. Public concerns about possible health effects associated with EMF led EPRI and the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association to offer training courses and guides on communicating with the public about those possible risks.