Following the implementation of Emergency Load Curtailment Program protocols during last December’s Winter Storm Elliott, it became clear that many TVPPA members faced communications challenges that impacted public perception nearly as much as the event itself. In our ongoing efforts to support members through the vast challenges they face, TVPPA has added an Emergency Load Curtailment Program (ELCP) Communications Toolkit to TVPPA’s online communication resources for members to help them communicate more effectively with their members or customers should the ELCP be invoked again.
The materials for hot weather ECLP events are available now. We will add materials for cold weather events in the months to come.
About the ELCP Toolkit
TVPPA’s Communications Advisory Group offered valuable guidance into the tone, content and structure of the ELCP Communications Toolkit materials while TVA’s communications team provided valuable insight into their planned communications, should the ELCP be triggered in the future. We are offering a fully customizable set of written and graphic resources designed exclusively for LPC use that dovetail nicely with TVA’s communications. This toolkit is built on a system similar to the one used by the National Weather Service to communicate about severe weather threats and it includes:
- a checklist for ELCP communications planning
- talking points for spokespeople and customer/member service representatives
- social media content and related graphics
- press releases/website content with brandable headers
- text and app notifications
- best practices and more
We will provide an overview of available resources during TVA’s ELCP educational webinars on April 21 and 27. Our efforts to share TVA’s links for webinar registration have been unsuccessful, but links can be found in an article in the March 27 edition of TVA’s Customer Connections e-newsletter and in the calendar sections of the April editions. TVPPA will offer a deeper dive into our communications toolkits in a Hot Topic Webinar on June 13. Watch for additional details in upcoming communications.
How to Find Our Toolkits
The ELCP Communications Toolkit can be found alongside five additional toolkits on the member section of our website. The additional toolkits include resources related to Winter Storm Elliott, crisis communications, supply chain challenges, power restoration, and the advantages of being part of a locally-owned power community.
To access these toolkits, visit tvppa.com, use the member login link in the upper right of the home screen to access the member menu, and click on Communication Tools. Bookmark this page for easy access or download the content for future use, but be sure to revisit the page in the future for updated content and additional toolkits.
We’re Here to Help!
TVPPA staff members are available to answer questions and provide assistance with these resources. For assistance, please email communications@tvppa.com or call 423-756-6511. To discuss current and future toolkit needs, please contact Nathalie Strickland.