Why Public Power is Good for Business — and Good for Communities

Public Power is Good for Business

For the past year AMP worked on the “Public Power is Good for Business” communications campaign, and we are proud to highlight how our Members deliver value to businesses and communities every day.

These stories serve as a reminder of all that we are thankful for with public power. Public power means more than reliable electricity — it represents local control, accountability, and a commitment to serving our communities first.

One striking example is a testimonial from an official with Caesars Entertainment, a business with a global footprint, who had this to say about their experience with public power in Danville: “The experience that we had here was beyond any compliment that I could give them,” said Greg Combs, Vice President of Design and Construction for Ceasars Entertainment on the experience the company had with Danville Utilities before, during and after the construction of the Caesars Virginia casino and resort in Danville. “It doesn’t always work that way. Here, they were very, very engaged with us, and that’s important.”

The Public Power Advantage

Because of public power, decisions are made close to home, with transparency and a focus on what matters most to the community and to businesses looking to locate in those communities. The public power business model allows municipal electric utilities to reinvest in their communities, work to keep rates affordable, and ensure that providing safe, reliable electricity remains a top priority.

When businesses look for the right place to grow, they often focus on factors like workforce, infrastructure, and cost of living. But one critical element that businesses care about is the cost and reliability of energy. Public power knows what a difference reliable, affordable and locally controlled power can make for a business in a community, whether it’s a global operation, a mid-sized, or a family-owned business.

Spotlighting Success Stories

Through the stories that AMP’s team produced for our “Public Power is Good for Business” campaign over the past year — promoted on AMP’s social media, Update weekly newsletter and AMP’s website — we spotlighted the benefits of public power from the perspective of those running the companies that rely on public power utilities.

Across AMP’s footprint, businesses have touted the benefits of operating a business in a public power community. They shared the importance of personal service and how critical reliable electricity is to their operations. In addition to the example above from Caesars Entertainment in Danville, many more similar stories surfaced in the campaign:

• Hamilton: When 80 Acres Farms — a vertical, indoor farming company that uses the latest technology to grow a supply of fresh, healthy produce — was looking for a new headquarters, it was drawn to the City of Hamilton. “Vertical farms depend on a consistent supply of electricity. Even a brief outage can result in a major disruption to our crops,” said Jed Portman, Senior Manager of Public Affairs for 80 Acres Farms. “We haven’t experienced much in the way of disruptions at all. But, of course, we realize that’s more than good luck. That’s the result of good practices on Hamilton’s side and the good work that Hamilton’s doing to make sure that businesses like ours can operate with predictability and consistency.”
• Bryan: The Spangler Candy Company, founded in 1906, is a small confectionary company known all over the world for its numerous candy brands, such as the Dum-Dum lollipops. When Spangler was expanding its operations in 2023 to add on a 20-acre production facility for its newly acquired brand, Bit-O-Honey, it knew it could rely on Bryan Municipal Utilities to support its expanded electric demand. “Derek (Schultz, Bryan Municipal Utilities Director of Utilities) and the team are great to work with,” said Bill Martin, Spangler Candy Company President. “They’re reasonable. They don’t want to impact our business, and they want to help us succeed. And I don’t think you get that from a really big utility. I think at a really big utility, you don’t even know who those people are. So it’s a great relationship we have, and it is an important relationship when you have a food factory because a lot of the things that aren’t seen — like air conditioning, water, power, those kind of things — have just as much impact on how you make candy as all the things that you can see.”
• Versailles: Midmark, a global manufacturer of equipment for medical, dental and veterinary spaces, views its partnership with the Village of Versailles as critical to the company’s success and growth. “In 2021, we added over 114,000 square feet of manufacturing space and a new Technology and Experience Center here in Versailles. That doesn’t happen unless we are planful and thoughtful with the Village of Versailles and Village of Versailles Utilities,” said Rob Sackett, Chief Operations Officer for Midmark. “I have manufactured around the world — in the United States, Mexico, China, India — multitudes of places. What we do here [the partnership between the company and utility] is exceptional, and I would say it rivals relationships that I have had anywhere in the best places to work around the world.”
• Coldwater: Sekisui Voltek, a leading manufacturer of foam roll goods, has operated in Coldwater since the 1970s and chose to consolidate its operations there in 2020, citing the city’s centralized Midwest location, proximity to major automotive manufacturers and the availability of land for expansion. In 2022, Voltek announced the construction of its second plant in Coldwater, a $39 million investment known as the Endeavor Project. Voltek officials said the decision to expand in Coldwater was made easier because of its strong partnership with the Coldwater Board of Public Utilities. “It’s really been a big benefit to have public power behind us. I know I can pick up the phone and call the utility director and call many different employees,” said Jeff Budd, Chief Financial Officer for Voltek. “Having that personal connection, that’s the benefit of public power.”
• Montpelier: Moore Industries, a small family-owned company that manufactures custom-injection molds for the automotive industry, has depended on the support and customer service of the Montpelier Municipal Utilities as the company has grown since 1999 to employ 85 people. When the company was in the midst of an 18,000-square-foot expansion project in 2022, it ran into difficulties with an existing transformer. They reached out to the village for help in resolving the issue. “We increased the size of the conductor,” said Jason Rockey, Montpelier Village Manager. “We also increased the size of the transformer to not only provide power for the expansion, but also for potential needs down the road.”

All of these stories illustrate a simple truth: Public power utilities are more than energy providers — they are partners in the community and deliver value to businesses.

To learn more about the campaign and how public power can benefit your community, visit Public Power is Good for Business.