About APPA
The American Public Power Association is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide. We represent public power before the federal government to protect the interests of the more than 49 million people that public power utilities serve, and the 93,000 people they employ. Our association advocates and advises on electricity policy, technology, trends, training, and operations. Our members strengthen their communities by providing superior service, engaging citizens, and instilling pride in community-owned power.
In addition to community-owned utilities, our membership includes state/regional associations of utilities and joint action agencies that buy wholesale power and a host of products and services collectively for their members. Our membership also includes more than 200 companies that provide products and services to the electric utility industry
Public power systems are powerful economic engines that:
- Are run mostly by municipal governments
- Can adopt new programs and technologies with speed
- Serve anywhere from 100 to 1.5 million meters in a region
- Generate, buy, sell, transmit, and distribute electricity
- Depend on a mix of fuels — natural gas, coal, nuclear, solar, wind, hydro, etc.
- Are regulated mostly by local/state laws and set their own rates