What is Public Power?

Unlike for-profit private electric companies, public power utilities are community-owned, not-for-profit electric utilities that safely provide reliable, low-cost electricity to your community. There are over 2,000 communities across the U.S. that get their electricity from a public power utility or roughly 1 in 7 electricity customers. 

 

  • Locally Controlled - Like public schools or libraries, public power utilities are owned by the community and run as a division of local government. Painesville Electric is governed by City Council and run by City employees. Community citizens have a direct voice in utility decisions, including the rates it charges and its sources of electricity. 

 

  • Affordable - Public power utilities are not-for-profit entities that provide electricity to customers at the lowest rates possible. On average, homes powered by public power pay 13% less that homes powered by private utilities. While private utilities play with their rates to create monopolies in an area, public power utilities stay much more consistent over time. We don't answer to shareholders! We only answer to our customers. 

 

  • Reliable - Customers of public power utilities low power less often and when they do lose power, on average they are likely to be without for just 74 minutes a year. Compared to customers of private utilities, who lose power for an average of 136 minutes, that's a major advantage! A smaller system is much more manageable, so our crews are out to fix the problem in your area as soon as possible.

 

  • Invested in the Community - Public power utilities are embedded in their communities and support a range of community programs including charitable, educational and beautification programs. Public power employs your neighbors and friends. Public power gives 33% more back to the community through taxes, fees and special services, than private utilities.

 

 Learn more about public power at wearecommunitypowered.com

 

Did You Know You Get Your Electricity From a Public Power Utility?

 

 

Public Power Builds Communities