BrightRidge Recognized as Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) by APPA

JOHNSON CITY — BrightRidge has been recognized by the American Public Power Association as a platinum-level reliable public power provider (RP3). ®

Neil James, Manager of Distribution Operations at ‎Santee Cooper, South Carolina and chair of the Association’s RP3 Review Panel, presented the designations during the Association’s recent Engineering & Operations Technical Conference held in Raleigh, N.C.

“This designation is about more than just reliability. It’s about operational excellence,” said James. “These utilities and their communities should be proud to represent the best of the best.”

The designation recognizes community-owned, not-for-profit public power utilities that demonstrate operational excellence in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement.

Applications are reviewed by an 18-member panel of nationally recognized utility experts in safety, transmission and distribution, and system planning.

 “This is not an easy designation to earn,” BrightRidge CEO Jeff Dykes said. “Companies achieving RP3 designation demonstrate an organization-wide commitment to quality as well as reliability, safety, workforce development and system improvement. It took all of our team members pulling together to earn this designation and they are commended for their efforts.”

The RP3 designation, which stands for three years, found BrightRidge with a score of 96.5 out of 100, reaching the platinum level. Criteria considered includes the use of data to inform business operations, including reliability, physical and cyber safety; development of a culture of safety within the workforce; staff development and training; and demonstrable efforts towards continuous improvement through research, planning and commitment to system betterment programs. BrightRidge joins 240 public power utilities nationwide that hold the RP3 designation.

The American Public Power Association has offered the RP3 designation for 13 years now. The Association is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 49 million people in 2,000 towns and cities nationwide. The Association advocates and advises on electricity policy, technology, trends, training, and operations.