Guest Post: The Public Power Project Visits Ohio
The Public Power Project went to Ohio to learn from activists and officials about the history of Cleveland Public Power and current issues the community is facing. Here’s what they learned.… Read More
Arizona Public Utility Acts Like For-Profit Peers — Episode 174 of Local Energy Rules
Autumn Johnson talks about Salt River Project: a publicly-owned Arizona utility engaged in some shady behavior. The public’s only accountability measure? Board members who are elected by land-owning customers and punished for their dissension.… Read More
Shining Up Sacramento’s Lackluster Public Utility — Episode 172 of Local Energy Rules
Derek Cressman and Fatima Malik, who both ran for seats on the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) board, describe the evolution of SMUD, how the public utility is failing its customers, and share their proposed solutions.… Read More
Public Power Pt. 6: Alternatives — Episode 170 of Local Energy Rules
John Farrell explains five alternatives to a public power takeover that can still advance a community’s clean energy and environmental justice aims. This is part six of a special series: The Promise and Peril of Publicly-Owned Power.… Read More
Public Power Pt. 5: The Perils — Episode 169 of Local Energy Rules
Customers of four publicly-owned utilities explain some limitations of the public power model and how they are organizing to increase accountability. This is part five of a special series: The Promise and Peril of Publicly-Owned Power.… Read More
Public Power Pt. 4: Game Over? — Episode 167 of Local Energy Rules
John Farrell describes three municipalization attempts: Boulder, Minneapolis, and Decorah. Each city failed to form its own utility, but found silver linings in trying. This is part four of a special series: The Promise and Peril of Publicly-Owned Power.… Read More
Public Power Pt. 3: Ingredients For Success — Episode 166 of Local Energy Rules
John Coyle describes how to form a publicly-owned utility and lists the four ingredients for baking up a public takeover. This is part three in a special series: The Promise and Peril of Publicly-Owned Power.… Read More
Public Power Pt. 2: Community Benefits — Episode 165 of Local Energy Rules
Ursula Schryver describes the benefits of consumer-owned utility service and Randy Knight reports on the progress that municipalization brought to Winter Park, Fla. This is part two in a special series: The Promise and Peril of Publicly-Owned Power.… Read More
Public Power Pt. 1: Why Take Over? — Episode 163 of Local Energy Rules
For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and community leaders in six different municipalization campaigns explain why a city might attempt to take over its electric utility. This is part one in a special series: The Promise and Peril of Publicly-Owned Power.… Read More