City of Russell Electric Utility Receives National Recognition for Outstanding Electric Reliability

The American Public Power Association (APPA) has recognized the City of Russell Electric Utility with a Certificate of Excellence in Reliability for achieving exceptional reliability in 2023.

The APPA compared the reliability data of the City of Russell's Utility through the eReliability Tracker to the national reliability data collected by the US Energy Information Administration. Russell's Electric Utility is in the top 25 percent of utilities for the System Average Interruption Duration Index based on the EIA data in 2018 through 2022, qualifying for the 2023 Certificate of Excellence in Reliability. Among the more than 2,000 public utilities honored nationwide, the City of Russell Electric Utility stood out as one of the seven recipients in Kansas.

Mayor of the City of Russell Jim Cross expressed his pride in the recognition, stating, "This achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team, including our linemen, production operators, mechanics and electric utility director. We also extend our gratitude to our partners, the Kansas Municipal Energy Agency and Mid-States, for their invaluable support."

The City of Russell's commitment to infrastructure investment, led by the Russell City Council, has played a pivotal role in this recognition. City Manager Jon Quinday highlighted, "Our city council's consistent prioritization of infrastructure upgrades, such as the reconstruction of our electric distribution system and investments in additional generation capacity, has been instrumental in ensuring reliability and future-proofing our electric utility."

"The City of Russell Electric Utility is committed to providing reliable, safe and affordable electric service to the residents and businesses of Russell," said Dave Sturgeon, Electric Utility Director. "With a focus on infrastructure investment and continuous improvement, supported by the city council, the utility strives to meet the evolving needs of its customers while maintaining the highest standards of service excellence."

(Information courtesy City of Russell. Pictured: Front Row: Shiloh Roach, Jay Wickham, Bill Miller, Ian Dohl, Blake Witte, Mike Gideon and Carsyn Schooler. Back Row: Lucas Scarborough, Chris Boss, Andy Strong, Mayor Jim Cross, Dave Sturgeon, Jordan Page and Damien Hunter.)