The Salem Electric Department has once again received national recognition for achieving exceptional electric reliability. The recognition for the 2021 calendar year comes from the American Public Power Association (APPA), a trade group that represents more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities.
APPA helps electric utilities track power outage and restoration data through its subscription-based eReliability Tracker service. Once per year, APPA’s Reliability Team compares this data to national statistics tracked by the U.S. Energy Information Administration for all types of electric utilities.
“It is an honor to once again receive this award on behalf of the citizens and businesses in the City of Salem,” says A.K. Briele, Salem Electric Department Director. “Our staff has always taken great pride in keeping the power on for our citizens and I am elated to accept this recognition as a testament to their dedication.”
The City of Salem is one of 16 municipalities in the Commonwealth that operates its own electric department, and Salem is one of just two in Virginia to receive this award.
“Once again, public power utilities have demonstrated their commitment to providing highly reliable power to their customers.” said Alex Hofmann, APPA’s Vice President of Technical and Operations Services. “We commend these utilities for their hard work when it comes to keeping the lights on in their communities.”
Salem’s System Average Interruption Duration Index figure places the utility company in the top 25 percent in the nation. Traditionally, Salem’s interruption time has averaged just over 10 minutes for non-emergency events. For comparison, the national average is nearly 14 times greater at 139 minutes.
Here is a link to the list of all 2021 HONOREES nationwide.