Community at the Core: A Public Power Model Powered by the People

In the Tennessee Valley, the work of local power companies (LPCs) begins with the simple promise of keeping the lights on. But the real story of public power stretches far beyond poles and wires. It lives in the everyday choices LPCs make to strengthen their communities, to meet people where they are, and to show up in ways that honor the humanity behind every meter. Public power is a people‑first model, built on a foundational truth: LPCs serve their communities well because they are part of the communities they serve.

As public power utilities, LPCs do not answer to shareholders or corporate boards. They answer to neighbors, to local leaders, to parents and teachers and small‑business owners. Their decisions reflect the values of the places they call home. The stories shared by Valley utilities — large and small — illustrate why community remains at the heart of everything they do.

Serving Across Generations

Columbus Light & Water in Columbus, Miss., offers a vivid example of how LPCs create lasting community value by investing in the people who represent the future. Each summer, CL&W hires interns from local high schools and colleges to work on projects that build skills while making a meaningful impact. This year’s intern teams tackled initiatives focused on sustainability, senior engagement, and community outreach.

One group partnered with Stokes Beard Elementary to plant and maintain a vegetable garden, helping students learn about healthy living and environmental stewardship. Another team formed the Senior Citizen Advisory Council, a group of ambassadors dedicated to listening to and advocating for senior residents. The council provides older adults with a platform to share their needs and strengthens intergenerational relationships across the community. Interns also hosted educational activities at the local farmers’ market, engaging families in learning about electric and water systems.

General Manager Dr. Angela Verdell believes these efforts reflect the heart of CL&W’s mission. “Community isn’t just something we talk about — it’s something we build every day,” she said. “These projects show who we are: a utility that empowers people, connects generations, and prepares our city for the future.”

Concern for Community in Action

At Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) in Decatur, Tennessee, the efforts of employees highlight the human side of the organization’s cooperative principles. In Rhea County, adults with special needs walk the red carpet each year at the Tim Tebow Night to Shine Prom. Thanks to contributions from VEC members through the Customers Share Program, financial barriers never stand in the way of participation.

This special evening, hosted by Rhea of Sunshine, is a celebration of joy, dignity, and belonging. It is also one example among many. VEC distributes grants each month to nonprofit organizations across its service area, supporting food banks, youth programs, senior services, and educational initiatives. “We are incredibly grateful for the continued support from Volunteer Energy Cooperative,” said Michelle Davis Cunningham, Executive Director of Rhea of Sunshine. “Their partnership has a tremendous impact on our mission, and their contributions ensure everyone can attend events like Night to Shine without financial barriers.”

For VEC, giving back is an expression of who they are. Their members make this possible, reinforcing the cooperative belief that community thrives when everyone invests in it.

Growing Leaders and Lifting Up Neighbors

At Pontotoc Electric Power Association (PEPA) in Pontotoc, Mississippi, community is a verb. Their initiatives reflect a consistent willingness to meet people where they are and respond to the needs of the moment.

The cooperative focuses much of its efforts on a broad set of programs rooted in youth development, education, and service. Each year, PEPA awards ten $1,000 scholarships to high‑school seniors. They sponsor local high school juniors to participate in NRECA’s youth leadership program, send two students from each high school in their service area to NRECA’s Cooperative University, and provide internships in their engineering department. Employees volunteer in local schools, take part in community helper days, and support students during the town’s annual Harvest Walk by handing out juice boxes to kindergarteners.

PEPA’s commitment extends to seasonal events and year‑round giving. “We participate in our downtown’s Customer Appreciation event and provide hundreds of ice cream bars. Each year, we do a ‘Gratitude Project’ where we collect items for those in need. Some of the causes we have supported in the past include collecting school supplies and essential needs for children going into foster care; toiletries, puzzle books, etc., for nursing home residents; and this year, we collected peanut butter and jelly for the food pantries in our area,” said Jennifer Johnson, PEPA’s human resources manager. This year’s efforts were supported by employees Mary Williamson and Charlotte Ledbetter in Pontotoc and John Ivy and Jahew Harrison in Bruce, who dressed as “PB and Jay” to add some whimsy and draw more attention to the cause.

At Morristown Utilities A Legacy of Service

In Morristown, Tennessee, Morristown Utilities Commission (MU) enters its 125th year of public service with a renewed focus on reliability and community connection. Since 1901, MU has provided safe, dependable infrastructure for its growing city. Today, they invest heavily in system upgrades, field‑crew training, and community outreach.

Their story is not just one of maintaining infrastructure but of honoring a long tradition of neighbors helping neighbors. As MU marks this milestone year, every image they shared in a recent promotional photo collage, from field crews in bucket trucks to substation enhancements, represents their ongoing commitment to Morristown’s future.

“We have been more than electricity for generations,” former General Manager Jody Wiginton shared. “We are neighbors helping neighbors, building a stronger community one connection at a time.”

Expanding Opportunity through Innovation

Huntsville Utilities’ fiber story is a clear example of what can happen when a local power company engages with community and stays open to creative partnerships. When Huntsville was initially passed over in efforts to become a “gig city,” local leaders began rethinking how the city could move forward. At the same time, Huntsville Utilities recognized its growing need for backbone fiber to support electric system operations. Those parallel needs shaped a solution that benefited the entire community.

Instead of building a fiber network solely for retail service, Huntsville Utilities intentionally over-designed its system, retained ownership of the infrastructure, and leased excess dark fiber to Google Fiber through a long-term agreement. This approach eliminated Google’s need for upfront capital investment while allowing the utility to strengthen its own operations and avoid taking on debt.

The impact extended beyond faster internet speeds. High-capacity broadband became essential to Huntsville’s economic competitiveness, supporting its highly technical workforce and meeting the expectations of businesses considering the area. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, that connectivity helped the community transition to remote work, learning, and services.

“Public power utilities exist to serve their communities, not unseen investors,” said Joe Gehrdes, Huntsville Utilities director of external affairs. “By investing in infrastructure that met our needs — and could also be shared — the utility, the city, and our residents all benefited.”

Huntsville’s experience underscores how public power, guided by community priorities and thoughtful collaboration, can strengthen local economies and quality of life for the long term.

Showing Up in Times of Crisis

For Tombigbee Electric Power Association in Tupelo, Mississippi, community commitment took on profound meaning when an employee’s grandfather went missing in May 2025. The elderly man, who had diminished capacity, had been gone for several days. Concerns about dehydration, exposure, and his overall safety grew with each passing hour.

In response, Tombigbee mobilized what CEO Scott Hendrix calls their “Red Truck Army” — their entire fleet of Tombigbee Electric and Fiber vehicles. Employees searched across their service territory and into neighboring co‑op areas, using whatever time and resources they had available.

The man was eventually found alive by a deputy on horseback in a wooded area that had been searched several times. He was hospitalized and recovered. Tombigbee’s employees did not hesitate to act; to them, searching for a missing neighbor was simply part of what it means to be a co‑op.

“Community spirit isn’t limited to how quickly we can get the lights on,” Hendrix said. “It’s bounded only by the decency of humanity. I know of no better example than an electric co‑op serving a community or member in need.”

A Personal Touch in a Digital World

The story of Murray Electric System in Murray, Kentucky, shows how customer service can evolve without losing the human connection that defines public power. Murray is known as one of the friendliest small towns in America, with a population that includes retirees, young families, and thousands of Murray State University students. That diversity shapes the utility’s approach to communication and support.

General Manager Tony Thompson recognized that relying on line crew personnel to answer after‑hours calls created inefficiencies and stress. When the utility launched its broadband services, call volumes grew rapidly. Thompson responded by creating a new role: a dedicated dispatcher and customer service specialist.

He knew exactly who could fill it. A lifelong Murray resident named Jason Lovett, who grew up working in his family’s filling station, had the personality, patience, and problem‑solving ability to talk with anyone. He had a calm presence, a warm manner, and a knack for helping people feel heard. Today, Jason is an essential part of Murray Electric’s customer experience. He handles outage calls, talks customers through billing questions, and assists elderly residents with their televisions or cable remotes. He diffuses frustration with kindness and clarity, and he knows enough about the system to answer nearly any question.

Customers can also report outages using a text‑based application created by Hometown Grid, a company founded by a Murray resident. The system offers automated updates, reduces call bottlenecks during storms, and provides real‑time insights to the utility’s operations team. This blend of technology and personal support has earned Murray Electric “favorite utility” status in local newspaper polls for more than twenty years.

“We have 8,000 meters in Murray,” Thompson said, “and more than 6,000 of those are our internet customers. That tells you what people value. We may not be the cheapest, but we are the best at serving our community.”

People Over Profits

While the stories shared by each of these local power companies differ in the unique ways they approach serving their communities, they are all grounded in the enduring strength of the public power model. LPCs invest in education, respond in emergencies, innovate for the future, and provide services that go far beyond delivering electricity. They do these things because they are neighbors helping neighbors — not corporations seeking shareholder returns.

Across the Tennessee Valley, LPC employees serve with professionalism, integrity, and a deep sense of responsibility. Their connection to their communities is woven into every decision, every upgrade, every late‑night call. Public power works because it is rooted in people, upheld by people, and powered by the belief that strong communities are built from the inside out.

In a world that often prioritizes profits, the Valley’s local power companies remain committed to a different measure of success: the strength, well‑being, and resilience of the communities they proudly serve.