Northwest Public Power Association - NWPPA

Northwest Public Power Association - NWPPA NWPPA represents and serves locally controlled utilities in the Western U.S. and Canada. and Canada who are allied with the electric utility industry.

Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) is a not-for-profit trade association of nearly 150 public/people's utility districts, electric cooperatives, municipalities, and crown corporations in the Western U.S. NWPPA also serves the sales and networking needs of approximately 300 Associate Members across the U.S.

As NIC winds down, we’re talking about something underneath almost every communication strategy: trust. Four days, a lot...
09/24/2026

As NIC winds down, we’re talking about something underneath almost every communication strategy: trust. Four days, a lot of conversations, a lot of ideas, and a few questionable open-mic performances. But through it all, one theme kept coming up: the relationships we build before we need them matter. From Steve Wright and Dave Mitchell on trust, purpose and understanding people, to communicators from Tacoma Public Utilities, Mason PUD 3, Benton PUD, Umatilla Electric Cooperative and many others sharing what’s working, NIC was packed with ideas to take home. A big thank you to our NIC sponsors, Powerful Web, National Information Solutions Cooperative, Pioneer Utility Resources, PNGC Power, Northwest RiverPartners, Energy Northwest and Safe Electricity, for helping make these conversations possible. Now comes the best part: putting those ideas to work.

Last night we get to celebrate the creative side of public power. The Excellence in Communications Awards are taking cen...
09/24/2026

Last night we get to celebrate the creative side of public power. The Excellence in Communications Awards are taking center stage at NIC, recognizing the creativity, strategy and storytelling happening across our industry. And that was one of those nights that reminded us that telling the public power story took much more than good information. It took imagination. Congratulations to everyone recognized tonight. We can't wait to share some of the winning work. Shout out to National Information Solutions Cooperative for sponsoring our reception and Powerful Web for the wonderful food!

Rates. Reliability. Power supply. Safety.Communicators know these topics matter. But explaining them to customers withou...
09/23/2026

Rates. Reliability. Power supply. Safety.
Communicators know these topics matter. But explaining them to customers without sending them into acronym overload? That’s the real challenge.

This morning at NIC, communicators are digging into more than just communication tactics. They’re talking about how to build trust, communicate when the stakes are high, earn credibility before an emergency happens and turn complicated energy topics into messages people can actually understand.

Communicators from utilities across the Northwest, including Tacoma Public Utilities, Benton PUD and Umatilla Electric Cooperative, are sharing real-world examples and tackling the challenges that come with communicating about an industry that can get complicated fast.
Different utilities. Different communities. A lot of shared challenges.
Because knowing how something works and explaining why it matters are two very different skills.
What’s the hardest utility topic you’ve ever had to explain?

Sometimes the best way to learn about energy is to leave the conference room. Yesterday afternoon, NIC attendees headed ...
09/23/2026

Sometimes the best way to learn about energy is to leave the conference room. Yesterday afternoon, NIC attendees headed to Pepper Bridge Winery for a behind-the-scenes look at its production facility and on-site solar array. Cameron Daline of Clark Public Utilities and Weston Putman of Umatilla Electric Cooperative Electric Cooperative led the tour, giving attendees a firsthand look at how energy, sustainability and real-world operations come together.
And apparently communicators don’t know how to turn it off after 5 p.m.
NIC at Night brought the day to a close in Walla Walla with plenty of laughs, conversations and questionable levels of talent. This is the part of NIC you can’t really put on an agenda: the friendships and connections that happen after the sessions end.
A big thank you to PNGC Power for sponsoring NIC at Night and helping make these after-hours connections possible.

Tuesday is underway at NIC NIC in Walla Walla, and this morning has already given attendees plenty to think about. We ki...
09/22/2026

Tuesday is underway at NIC NIC in Walla Walla, and this morning has already given attendees plenty to think about. We kicked things off with Damian Radcliffe of the University of Oregon, joining Sheila Corson of Mason PUD 3 Co., Brenda Dunn of NWPPA, and Scott Peters of Columbia REA for a conversation about how people find, consume, and trust information.
From there, attendees split into sessions focused on putting creative ideas to work in public power, including:
Christopher Jensen from Idaho Falls Power leading our fast connections, fresh ideas, Courtney Cobb from Central Electric Cooperative Inc, sharing how drone photography can become a powerful storytelling tool.
And then came a reminder that sometimes the most important communication strategy is simply listening. Laura Schepis of La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) led an interactive session on using intentional listening to strengthen relationships with members, colleagues, and communities.

A big thank-you to Northwest RiverPartners and Safe Electricity for sponsoring today's meals and helping keep the conversations going throughout the day.

NIC is officially underway in Walla Walla! Before we dive into two and a half days of sessions, ideas and conversations,...
09/22/2026

NIC is officially underway in Walla Walla! Before we dive into two and a half days of sessions, ideas and conversations, NIC started with something that feels pretty fitting for a conference built around communication: connecting with the community. Yesterday, attendees were giving back through volunteer projects, getting settled in, reconnecting with familiar faces and meeting new ones at last night's welcome reception. We also voted on photos for the EIC! And today, the real idea-sharing begins. Thank you to Pioneer Utility Resources for sponsoring the reception last night!

Still thinking about FUEL? We still have a few spots available! FUEL brings together emerging public power leaders for p...
09/21/2026

Still thinking about FUEL? We still have a few spots available! FUEL brings together emerging public power leaders for professional development, industry connections, and practical leadership skills you can take back to your utility. Space is limited, so now’s the time to save your spot. Learn more and register: https://buff.ly/BQnelyS

A few spots are still available for FUEL! If you’re an emerging leader in public power, FUEL is a great opportunity to b...
09/17/2026

A few spots are still available for FUEL! If you’re an emerging leader in public power, FUEL is a great opportunity to build your leadership skills, connect with peers, and learn from experienced industry professionals. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this year’s program.
Learn more and register: https://buff.ly/EpqwM1L

What happens when a small public utility faces historic load growth? Grant PUD’s average annual load has more than doubl...
09/16/2026

What happens when a small public utility faces historic load growth? Grant PUD’s average annual load has more than doubled since 2004, driven in large part by data centers and large manufacturing. Meeting that growth has required major investments in transmission and substations, new approaches to managing risk, and long-term planning for a changing energy landscape. Read the latest NWPPA Bulletin story to see how Grant PUD is rising to the challenge. https://buff.ly/9AaQ9jZ. And as utilities across the region navigate similar questions, join us Jan. 27, 2027 in Portland for NWPPA’s Data Center and Load Growth Summit. https://buff.ly/2pyydAi

Is your utility ready to compete for the next round of grant funding? Join NWPPA for "Grant Ready: Building a Competitiv...
09/15/2026

Is your utility ready to compete for the next round of grant funding? Join NWPPA for "Grant Ready: Building a Competitive Funding Pipeline for Public Power" on October 8. This free webinar will give public power professionals practical strategies for identifying funding opportunities, preparing competitive proposals, building strong partnerships, and developing a proactive pipeline of grant-ready projects. The session will be led by Jessica Singh, Vice President of Market Strategy at Momentum and an NWPPA Board member. Jessica brings 25 years of experience in the utility industry and specializes in public funding, infrastructure, clean energy, resilience, and economic development projects.
October 8 | 10 a.m.–noon PT | Online
Free for NWPPA members and eligible for two continuing hours. If securing grant funding is part of your utility’s strategy, this is a practical session worth adding to your calendar.
Register here: https://buff.ly/V66aW7F

Address

9817 NE 54th Street, Ste 200
Vancouver, WA
98662

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Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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