Community Powered
Community Powered is: community-owned, not-for-profit public power utilities power homes and businesses. Community powered public utilities safely provide reliable, low-cost electricity to more than 49 million Americans, while protecting the environment.
Most public power utilities have fewer than 4,000 customers, and collectively, these utilities serve 1 in 7 electricity customers across the U.S.
The core mission of Shrewsbury Electric & Cable Operations (SELCO) is to serve it’s local citizens of Shrewsbury. We are #communitypowered. That means the decisions about how our utility is run is made by people who live and work in the community, not corporations. Public power utilities are rooted in and committed to the communities they serve, and invest revenues directly back into the community.
Did you know Public Power means local control?
Like all electric utilities, public power systems must meet a variety of federal and state mandates. Yet, public power confers enormous benefits on citizens of public power communities because it provides wide latitude to make local decisions that best suit our local needs and values. Every city and town has its own distinctive characteristics, including natural resources, geography and climate, economic and social opportunities and challenges, diversity of citizenry, and community spirit. These local characteristics must be taken into account when decisions are made about electric rates and services, generating fuels, clean air and water, and other issues that affect the entire community.
Local Governance
Community citizens have a direct voice in utility decisions and policymaking. Business is conducted in the open and citizens know where their power comes from and how and why decisions affecting their utility bills are made. SELCO’s governing body is a 5 member Municipal Light Commission, referred to as the SELCO Commission, comprised of 5 Shrewsbury Residents. The SELCO Commission is granted its authority, responsibilities, and obligations under MGL c.164.
Did you know Public Power helps the local economy grow?
Public power stimulates economic prosperity, translating into better living conditions for families and the entire community. Public power has the ability as a local government arm to provide streamlined, “one-stop” customer services that encourage existing business customers to maintain and expand their operations and attract new businesses. Strong stable employers mean strong, stable jobs for local citizens. Low electric rates also hold down consumer costs, allowing public power customers to spend more money on other goods and services. This further stimulates the local economy.
Did you know Public Power means not-for-profit?
While public power utilities are “not-for-profit” organizations, that does not mean that they are not entrepreneurial, or that they do not make major economic contributions to their communities. Public power systems on average return to state and local governments in-lieu-of-tax payments and other contributions that are equivalent to state and local taxes paid by private power companies. In addition, unlike their private power company counterparts, public power systems serve only one constituency: their customers. They do not divide their loyalties between service customers and trying to make higher profits for stockholders.
Customer Survey Data
SELCO works with Great Blue Research to conduct a customer survey every other year. The primary goals for this research are to regularly assess SELCO’s performance over previous years and identify areas for improvement in an effort to provide the best possible service to customers. The outcome of this survey enables SELCO to more clearly understand and ultimately set customer expectations, act on near-term opportunities for improvement, and create a strategic roadmap to increase customer satisfaction. Surveys for electric and cable/broadband service have been conducted separately since 2019. Prior to that both services were included under one survey instrument.
