The American Public Power Association (APPA) is the service organization for the more than 2,000 U.S. community-owned electric utilities

Public utility

A public utility is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service . Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and regulation ranging from local community-based groups to state-wide government monopolies...

 that serve more than 46 million Americans.

APPA was created in September 1940 to represent the common interests of these utilities. Today, APPA’s purpose is to advance the public policy interests of its members and their consumers and provide member services to ensure adequate, reliable electricity at a reasonable price with the proper protection of the environment.

Regular APPA membership is open to U.S. public power utilities, joint action agencies (state and regional consortia of public power utilities), rural electric cooperatives, Canadian municipal/provincial utilities, public power systems within U.S. territories and possessions, and state, regional, and local associations in the United States and Canada that have purposes similar to APPA. Members include Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, Long Island Power Authority

Long Island Power Authority

The Long Island Power Authority or LIPA [ "lie-pah" ], a municipal subdivision of the State of New York, was created under the Long Island Power Act of 1985 to acquire the Long Island Lighting Company 's assets and securities...

, Salt River Project

Salt River Project

The Salt River Project is the umbrella name for two separate entities: the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District, an agency of the state of Arizona that serves as an electrical utility for the Phoenix metropolitan area, and the Salt River Valley Water Users' Association, a...

 in Arizona, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, JEA

JEA

JEA , located in Jacksonville, Florida, is the eighth largest community-owned electric utility company in the United States and largest in Florida. As of 2009, JEA serves more than 417,000 electric customers, 305,000 water customers and 230,000 sewer customers. Besides Jacksonville , JEA also has...

 in Florida, and Seattle City Light

Seattle City Light

Seattle City Light is the public utility providing electrical power to Seattle, Washington and parts of its metropolitan area, including all of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park and parts of unincorporated King County, Burien, Normandy Park, Seatac, Renton, and Tukwila...

.

APPA also encourages associate memberships from entities and individuals that have an interest in doing business with public power, and from cities and towns exploring the possibility of establishing public power systems.

Activities

• APPA is the national advocate for public power in Washington, D.C., on legislative and regulatory issues, and in legal proceedings. APPA lobbies public power positions, and monitors and reports on federal events and activities. Its Legislative & Resolutions Committee gives all utility members an opportunity to develop consensus on issues, as do task forces, committees, and work groups. The annual Legislative Rally brings managers and policymakers to Washington, D.C., to tell the public power story.

• Public Power Weekly newsletter, Public Power magazine, and Public Power Daily are respected throughout the country as timely, reliable sources of information about public power and the industry. APPA’s website provides information for a variety of audiences. Specialized publications, reports, surveys, and Internet-based networking groups inform and educate in various utility disciplines.

• APPA offers many opportunities to learn from and network with colleagues, utility experts, and local and national policymakers. The annual National Conference is the largest public power meeting. Other annual meetings cover business and financial, engineering and operations, legal, community broadband, and customer and community services topics. APPA also conducts smaller professional-development courses and provides a variety of continuing education and consumer-oriented materials.

• The Demonstration of Energy-Efficient Developments (DEED) program provides grants to APPA-member utilities and students from public power communities. Projects explore techniques and technologies that could be widely applicable to public power.

• Major awards are given at APPA’s National Conference to executives and policymakers who have advanced public power’s goals, as well as to utilities that have met the highest standards. Throughout the year, others are recognized for safety records, reliability, annual reports, lineworker skills, continuing education, and dedication to energy innovation.

• Hometown Connections, a subsidiary, secures group discounts for APPA members in a variety of areas, including advanced meter reading systems, customer information software, SCADA systems, broadband over powerline services, and customer and employee research.