New Power Provider Serves Appalachian State University’s New River Light & Power

The new year marked a change in electric service providers for Appalachian State University’s electric utility, New River Light and Power (NRLP). Carolina Power Partners (CPP), the leading independent wholesale electric provider in the Carolinas, began delivering reliable, low-cost power to NRLP on January 1, 2022.

The university-owned electric utility is one of 12 utilities in the Carolinas to enter into a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with CPP. In each case, the communities opted to enter into an agreement with CPP because of its proven reliability, significant price savings and low emissions profile. CPP has long-term PPAs with three cities in South Carolina and nine in North Carolina.

“We are extremely proud to start our full requirement energy service for Appalachian State University,” said TJ Higgins, CPP’s Asset Manager. “We welcome them to the CPP family and are happy to deliver low-cost, clean and reliable energy to the university and NRLP’s 9,000 residential and commercial customers in the Boone community. We look forward to more communities throughout the Carolinas obtaining these same advantages.”

In 2021, App State Chancellor Sheri Everts announced that with the new NRLP purchase agreement with CPP, it will purchase hydroelectric power to increase its renewable energy purchase portfolio from just under 2% to 15%. The contract with CPP will also allow the university and NRLP to continue exploring additional renewable energy sources.

“It is important that NRLP provides safe and reliable utilities to our customers at affordable and competitive rates,” said Ed Miller, NRLP’s General Manager. “CPP is a Carolina-based company that owns one of the most efficient, state-of-the-art power generating facilities and has demonstrated success in other similar communities. After an extensive review by our team and advisors, we believe this new energy contract with CPP will help us continue to meet our core objectives, while also providing increased accessibility to renewable energy opportunities.”

CPP provides much of its energy to App State and New River through the Kings Mountain Energy Center, a 475-MW combined-cycle power plant capable of efficiently providing energy to approximately 400,000 homes. Asset management services for the facility are provided by Consolidated Asset Management Services.

About Carolina Power Partners

Carolina Power Partners provides reliable electricity to local towns, cities, and universities in North and South Carolina. Strategically located in the fast-growing southeastern region of the United States, CPP is positioned to provide energy to local communities to help them achieve their economic and environmental needs.

About Appalachian State University and New River Light & Power

For more than 100 years, Appalachian State University’s nonprofit electric utility NRLP has provided power to Western North Carolina. Today, NRLP serves nearly 9,000 residential and commercial customers in and around the Town of Boone. In partnership with App State’s Office of Sustainability, Facilities Operations department and the university’s student-led, student-funded Renewable Energy Initiative organization, NRLP has assisted with numerous energy efficiency projects across App State’s campus and supported renewable energy projects including installing solar panels and providing funding for the Broyhill Wind Turbine. The utility holds the American Public Power Association’s highest Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) designation for providing reliable and safe electric service, and approximately $650,000 of its budget is reserved annually for contributions to Appalachian’s general scholarship fund.

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