The Management Team formally kicked off the strategic planning process in December followed by a Board of Commissioners retreat on January 15 and 16. The most recent strategic plan was adopted in 2018 and has helped guide decisions GUC has since made.
The Board retreat session started with financial information which included a budget update for the current year (next year’s budget is still in the planning stages). Staff showed Commissioners information that showcased GUC’s position as a low-cost provider, one of the least expensive of the utilities serving the state’s 15 largest cities when you combine the average cost of all four utilities.
With GUC, Greenville ranks among the top three least expensive NC utilities for residential customers and the least expensive for both box/grocery stores and pharmaceutical/manufacturing companies.
As part of the session, ElectriCities President Roy Jones gave a presentation on the pathway to carbon neutrality and the cost pressures facing public power agencies. The price of wholesale power is on the rise and expected to continue to trend upward.
Staff also updated Commissioners on the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project that is in the works. Negotiations with the selected vendor are underway, and the Board could vote to approve the contract soon.
Commissioners spent the rest of their time working with Fountainworks, the consultants facilitating the Strategic Plan process.
Commissioners reflected on how they felt about the current plan. Board members were overwhelmingly in support of the current plan and felt it was still relevant.
They provided feedback for the kind of information they believe is needed from the community, most specifically from focus groups of various stakeholders such as businesses, GUC employees, and community resource groups.
All GUC customers will be sent a survey link in their February bill. It will be open February 9 to March 9.
GUC employees will also have a survey sent in February. Keep an eye on your GUC email and digital frames at various facilities for more information in the coming weeks.
