KAAL TV did a follow up story on the RPU crew that is down in Missouri helping to restore power to the communities of Malden and Kennett, Missouri. The crew is scheduled to return on Thursday.
Picture from previous mutual aid response in 2007 in Nixa, MO
ROCHESTER, MN— Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) ranked in the top three of 29 investor-owned utilities and significantly higher than the industry average on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) for 2008.
The ACSI independently surveys residential customer satisfaction levels of the largest U.S energy utilities each quarter. Five key result areas of measurement are: customer loyalty, customer complaints, perceived value, perceived quality, and customer expectations. These measurements result in a utility’s ACSI score, ie: 79.
“We are thrilled to be ranked as one of the best utilities by the ACSI. Understanding our customer’s satisfaction is crucial. Despite our high ranking, we won’t sit back with regard to our vision to set the standard for service,” said Larry Koshire, RPU General Manager.
As a member of the Minnesota Municipal Utility Association, RPU is excited to announce the 2009 MMUA ‘Tom Bovitz Memorial Scholarship Award’ program. The scholarship fund totals $5,000. It will be split four ways, and awarded to $2,000 first, $1,500 second, $1,000 third and $500 fourth place essay contest winners who plan on attending a post-secondary educational institution. High school seniors are eligible to enter the essay contest. Essays are to be original and from 500 to 1,000 words, typed and double-spaced.
The deadline for submitting essays to RPU is Friday, April 3, 2009. RPU will make a local selection to be forwarded to MMUA for final judging. The MMUA Communications/Member Services Committee will select and announce the winners in May.
Four Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) line workers left for Malden, Missouri on Saturday to help with efforts to restore power and rebuild infrastructure after severe damage was caused by ice and wind storms.
RPU answered a mutual aid response sent out by the Missouri Public Utility Alliance to the Minnesota Municipal Utility Association (MMUA). This is the second time in two years that RPU has sent a crew to help with restoration efforts outside the state of Minnesota. The last time was back in January of 2007, when an RPU line crew went to Nixa, Missouri.
The four person crew will join other utilities from Minnesota in the power restoration effort. The crew took two RPU line trucks to help with downed power lines and poles. A high-level of caution is required when working around power lines that have been damaged by ice and wind because of the extreme weather conditions in the area and the existence of energized power lines down.
“We wanted to help in any way that we could to help respond to the request from MMUA and the community of Malden, Missouri. By sending the RPU line crew, they will have more manpower available to help, but more importantly will have experienced line workers that are very knowledgeable on safety in extreme weather situations,” said Larry Koshire, RPU General Manager.
Malden, Missouri is located in the southeast corner of Missouri.
Pictures below are from Nixa, MO in 2007
About Rochester Public Utilities
As the municipal utility of Rochester, Minn., for more than 110 years, RPU provides high-quality and reliable electricity to over 47,000 customers. Water customers number more than 36,000. RPU continually investigates innovative technologies to help customers realize the best value from the services they receive. Current initiatives include fuel cell research, wind power, and photovoltaic offerings.
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