Earlier this spring, Lowell Light & Power announced it had received the Reliable Public Power Provider designation from the American Public Power Association. It’s the second time the utility has received the designation, which is awarded in a three-year cycle, and indicates the utility’s commitment to ensuring its follows industry best practices.
Commonly called RP3, the Reliable Public Power Provider program was launched by the APPA more than a decade ago as a way for utilities to go through a peer-review process of their policies and procedures.
“It’s grown over the years to become quite an honor to be part of the program,” says Nathan Mitchell, senior director of operations programs for APPA. Of the more than 2,000 member utilities within the association, only 274 currently hold an RP3 designation. What’s more, Lowell Light & Power’s designation is at the diamond level, which is the top tier available.
Program Focuses on Four Disciplines
To receive an RP3 designation, public utilities must submit an application that outlines their business practices in four areas:
- Reliability
- Safety
- Workforce Development
- System Improvement
“It’s all-encompassing evaluation of our utility,” says Charlie West, general manager of LL&P. As industry standards continually evolve, going through the RP3 application process every three years helps the utility make ongoing improvements to its practices. “It’s making sure we are keeping pace with other utilities,” West explains.
“We keep on raising the bar a little higher,” Mitchell says. Each cycle, the APPA adjusts what is included on the RP3 application to reflect the latest industry standards and expectations. That, in turn, encourages utilities to make improvements at the local level.
For instance, at LL&P, the utility uses an eReliability Tracker from APPA to track outage information, identify potential problem areas and proactively address them. As part of becoming an RP3 designee, the utility has also spent time promoting best practices to keep workers safe and has invested in its infrastructure to ensure future reliability.
Within the RP3 program, there are three levels of recognition. Each level is based on the percentage of criteria met by the utility. The three levels are as follows:
- Diamond: 98-100%
- Platinum: 90-97%
- Gold: 80-89%
LL&P has been named a diamond level utility, the highest tier offered in the program. During the most recent application cycle, 127 out of 270 designees achieved the diamond level.
Ratepayers Benefit in the End
While the RP3 designation is focused on business practices, utility ratepayers are the real winners in the end. Beyond the obvious benefit of reliability, the program encourages a safe working environment and efficient facilities, both of which can contribute to affordable rates.
“RP3 designees are looking hard in the mirror and looking to improve,” says Toby Sellier, senior director of media relations and communications for APPA. Public utilities are often known for having excellent customer service and a commitment to the smart use of ratepayer dollars. “The [RP3] designation shows they take that responsibility seriously,” Sellier adds.
West echoes that sentiment. “It highlights that we’ve got a commitment to our customers,” he says. “The direct translation to ratepayers is that it’s an acknowledgement that we’re doing the right thing.”
No one person can take credit for the LL&P designation, according to West. It’s the culmination of hard work from a number of people, and the general manager is quick to praise the excellent and capable staff of the utility.
The RP3 designation will be good for three years, at which time it must be renewed. In the meantime, West says he and his staff will be working on a renovation to the LL&P Chatham Street facility as well as constantly looking for ways to save money and improve service.
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