Public Power Week 2008

(Wakefield, MA) – The Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (WMGLD) will join other locally owned utilities in the country in observing Public Power Week during the week of October 5th through October 11th. This is the 22nd year that the American Public Power Association (APPA) has sponsored Public Power Week to celebrate the benefits of hometown, community-owned and operated electric utilities like the Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department.

This year, the WMGLD is observing Public Power Week by encouraging and promoting energy conservation among the town’s younger residents. General Manager Pete Dion will be talking to local fifth graders this month about the importance of conserving energy at home and at school. The children will also participate in an essay contest sponsored by the WMGLD.

Adults in the community will also be able to help the WMGLD select a new logo this Fall to commemorate Public Power Week, according to the General Manager. WMGLD customers can cast a vote for one of three logos that will be in the next residential newsletter. Everyone who casts a vote will be eligible to win an energy conservation gift basket filled with energy-saving items, ranging from a compact fluorescent light bulb to a programmable thermostat.

“The WMGLD is one of 2,010 community-owned electric utilities in the United States,” Dion noted. “These utilities serve over 44 million people, or approximately 15 percent of the nation's electricity consumers, according to APPA. Some of the America’s largest cities, including Los Angeles, San Antonio, Seattle and Orlando, operate publicly owned electric utilities.”

In addition, more than 2.8 million business customers in the United States are serviced by public power utilities.Public power utilities are unique in that they are operated by local governments to provide communities with reliable, responsive, not-for-profit electric service. Public power utilities are directly accountable to the people they serve through local elected or appointed officials. That means faster response time to outages and emergencies.

“Public Power Week reminds our customers that we are a part of an American tradition that allows local residents to make important decisions about their public power services,” WMGLD General Manager Pete Dion said. “Not only are we providing our customers with safe, reliable power, we work with our customers to promote the responsible use of energy.”

The WMGLD has a 114-year history of competitive rates, reliability and public service. Public Power Week is one way to celebrate the WMGLD’s long-standing service to Wakefield, according to Dion.

As a public power utility, the WMGLD has been able to offer its customers programs and opportunities not available to customers of privately owned utilities, including the residential energy conservation program. This program helps WMGLD customers save money by making energy conserving changes in their homes, or by taking advantage of rebates on Energy Star-rated appliances and setback thermostats. The residential conservation services program is only available to WMGLD customers.

For additional information about the WMGLD, call (781) 246-6363, or visit the website at www.wmgld.com.