Utility employees are often responsible for hanging community holiday decorations, such as is the case in Madison, SD (pictured).
CEO’s Report: Communicating your value
October 7, 2025
Every year during Public Power Week, we talk about the value our utilities provide the communities they serve.
We describe the benefits of local ownership, local control, transparency in operations, and reinvesting profits back into the community.
But why is that important? Why do we need to communicate our value?
Most people don’t give a second thought as to who provides their electricity. They flip the switch, the lights come on and they pay their bills each month.
The American Public Power Association surveyed 1,600 public power retail customers in recent years and found that most customers do not know what public power is, or what it means for them. According to the survey:
- Only 1 in 5 public power customers under the age of 55 knows that the utility is community-owned and not-for-profit
- At least 30% of public power customers think their utility is profit driven
- Up to 28% think their utility is privately owned
Why it matters
Community members should understand the benefits of owning a public power utility and the non-utility services it provides.
These may include:
- Reinvestment in the electric utility system and the community
- Hanging holiday decorations
- Participating in community events
- Partnering with Heartland Energy to provide economic development incentives for local businesses and energy efficiency and electrification rebates to consumers
By informing customers of the services provided, you develop goodwill before an outage occurs, a rate increase is proposed, or someone questions the value of the local utility.
Presenting information in a clear and straightforward manner consistently will gain trust with your customers. Customers will know they can count on you for accurate, honest information.
Customers can be your biggest advocates. The more knowledge they have of the services you provide and the overall value you bring to the community, the more likely they are to back you if someone ever questions why your community owns a public power utility.
Build your utility brand
Think of your favorite brand. Anywhere you see advertising for that brand, the messaging and theme are the same. This is how they achieve brand recognition – getting you to associate certain ideas with their brand.
The same goes for your utility brand. You want to use messaging that is clear, concise and memorable. You also want to convey a consistent message, leaving customers with a clear impression of who you are.
Social media continues to be a popular means to increase your brand awareness. It is widely accessible, easy to operate, and an inexpensive method to spread your message.
You can also post information on your website about the value of your utility and include “did you know” facts. You can include these same facts on monthly bills or use bill stuffers.
If your city or utility has a regular newsletter, create a special section for the value the utility provides and the benefits of public power.
Get involved in community events or offer to speak at community group gatherings. You can also develop a key accounts program to develop strong relationships with large commercial or industrial customers.
During Public Power Week and year-round, Heartland Energy has a variety of resources available to help you communicate the value of your utility.
Celebrate your value
Public power is the only type of utility that truly gives citizens a voice.
The key term is “public” in that the utility is owned by the people of the community it serves.
Heartland is helping communicate your utility’s value during Public Power Week.
We have submitted advertisements as well as letters to the editor to all newspapers in our customer communities. We will also be running social media ads including videos featuring customers talking about what public power means to them.
At Heartland Energy, we believe the true power of public power lies in partnership. By working together, we can help you share your story, strengthen customer connections, and highlight the many ways your utility powers community growth.
From providing communication resources to offering programs that support efficiency, electrification, and economic development, we’re here to help you showcase the unique value of public power—not just during Public Power Week, but every day of the year.
Together, we can ensure your customers understand the difference local ownership makes and why their hometown utility is something to be proud of.