Public Power - January/February 2008 - (Page 35) with the need to maintain good relations with the community they serve, a successful public participation effort is an integral part to the process of getting a new power plant built for public power utilities. “Effective public participation improves the decision making process,“ APPA says in its 2007 Public Participation Guide, a product of the association’s DEED (Demonstration of Energy-Efficient Developments) program. A successful public participation program: • Provides an early warning system. • Helps manage extreme points of view. • Helps create a better understanding of the task. • Helps build a motivated team. • Helps deliver a better final decision. Public power utilities have used many techniques and methods in their public participation efforts that have many of the characteristics of what experts consider a collaborative public participation process. For instance, in 2003, the U.S. Department of Energy earmarked funding for Colorado Springs to help build a clean coal power plant. But, public reaction was negative and, from the point of view of Colorado Springs Utilities, unexpected. The clean coal project was eventually dropped because changing power demands for electricity made CSU realize it would not need the project. However, the unexpected public reaction made CSU realize that it needed to change the way it involved the public in its decision-making process. The utility used a wide variety of techniques to accomplish these goals, including citizen advisory groups, one-on-one interviews, discussion groups, customer surveys, the Web, the media, bill inserts, and community outreach programs. They used as many possible means at their disposal to reach as many of their customer as possible. This process allowed CSU to improve its understanding of the needs and concerns of their customers, and, at the same time, their customers felt involved in the process. CSU discovered, as a result of this process, that their customers valued price and reliable energy, but also were concerned about the environment and a majority felt CSU “must be weaned away from coal and gas.” Public participation techniques like those used by CSU help anticipate the needs and objections of the community. Taking the concerns of the community into account when planning any large project that might affect that community means such projects actually have a better chance of succeeding. It’s probable Cape Wind would be farther along in the approval process if project sponsors had involved the public from the beginning. As it is, segments of the community have lined up against them and Cape Wind, in spite of the requirements of the state RPS and all the benefits associated with renewal energy resources, is by no means a fete accompli. ❚ Ron Keith is manager of IT support for the American Public Power Association. This article is excerpted from a larger paper he wrote for a graduate school course. APPA Winter Education Institute February 4–8, 2008 Francis Marion Hotel Charleston, South Carolina Accounting Leadership Public Utility Accounting Job Costing and Plant Accounting Advanced Public Utility Accounting Key Accounts Certificate Program Fast Track Public Utility Governance Workshop Leadership “Simply” Leadership Power Supply & Energy Management Power Supply 101 NERC Reliability Energy Efficiency Programs for Public Power Utilities New Generation Workshop Ratemaking & Energy Services Implementing a CustomerFocused Key Accounts Program Developing Your Key Accounts Representative The Effective Key Accounts Toolbox Key Accounts Certificate Program Written Exam For more information and to register, visit www.APPAnet.org and click on “Events” or contact Heidi Lambert at 202/467-2921 or hlambert@appanet.org. Basic Utility Cost-of-Service & Retail Rate Design Business Energy Audits Advanced Utility Costof-Service & Retail Rate Design Invest in your work force today… Reap the benefits tomorrow www.APPAnet.org JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2008 35 http://www.APPAnet.org http://www.APPAnet.org
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