Highlight: Speech by APPA CEO Sue Kelly
Steve Mitnick is Editor-in-Chief of Public Utilities Fortnightly and author of the book “Lines Down: How We Pay, Use, Value Grid Electricity Amid the Storm.”
PUF's Steve Mitnick attended the 2017 National Conference of the American Public Power Association, APPA, held in Orlando, Florida, on June 19 and 20. Along with over fifteen hundred other attendees. APPA is the voice for not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power two thousand towns and cities nationwide.
Among the many sessions and activities, the annual passing of the torch of chairing APPA took place, from Andrew Boatright of Independence Power & Light (Missouri) to Wally Haase of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (Arizona). And the annual awards were given including the Alex Radin Distinguished Service Award to Paula DiFonzo of New Braunfels Utilities (Texas) and Gil Quiniones of the New York Power Authority.
A highlight of the National Conferences is the State of Public Power Leadership speech by APPA CEO Sue Kelly. Here's one gem from this year's speech: "As Senator Everett Dirksen, a true lion of the Senate, once said, 'When I feel the heat, I see the light.' Good leaders turn up the heat so our lawmakers will see the light. We may not have legions of lobbyists and funds that big corporations and industries do to throw at key policy issues. However, we in public power have something that others do not. At a forum this spring, I heard four Congressional staffers talk about tax reform. They said everything, including tax-exempt bonds, might be at risk in a tax reform package. One of them added, 'But I don't want a hundred mayors in my office.'"
Another gem from Kelly's speech: "A distribution grid is truly a 'commons' — a shared public good which must be maintained for the benefit of all in the community. Without the grid, everyone will suffer. Everyone who depends on it must contribute to its upkeep. Retail customers using the distribution grid to sell excess power generated at their homes or businesses back to their utility or a third party are going to have to pay for that grid. These customers have not cut the cord — rather, they have made their connections to the grid two-way."
See the photo album on Facebook.
