In Kansas, 120 cities operate a municipal electric utility. 67 cities operate a municipal gas cities. Countless more have a city-owned public water system. Municipally-owned utilities are the best choice for a community and its citizens. Here are just a few of the reasons why…

Consumer Owned
A municipal utility is owned by the city it serves. It exists to provide a public service to the residents and businesses of the community. Service - rather than profit - is the mission of the utility.

Local Control
The rates and services of a municipal utility are governed by the city itself, either through the city commission or an appointed or elected board of public utilities. This is the most democratic, responsive and accessible form of regulation. The utility is governed by residents of the community who are customers of the utility and are thoroughly familiar with its operations and services. If a customer has a complaint, he or she doesn’t have to take it to a state agency in Topeka. The customer can discuss the problem locally, with another member of the community, and be assured that the problem will be addressed.

Public Interest
A municipal utility is operated in the public interest, for the benefit of the residents of the city - not for the benefit of stockholders who live many miles away and may have little interest in the community. In other forms of utility ownership, there always remains a tension between the interests of the utility customers and the interests of the corporate stockholders. Their interests are not always the same, and often may be in conflict. This disparity of interests has given rise to a complex system of regulation of privately-owned utilities. This extensive level of regulation is unnecessary when the utility is publicly owned, and operated for the benefit of the community it serves.

Keeping Dollars in the Community
Local ownership means that as much as possible of the customer’s energy dollar stays in the community, creating jobs and supporting the local economy. Municipal utilities also serve as an engine for economic development. The excellent rates and quality service offered by municipal utilities are a big advantage for the community in attracting and retaining commercial and industrial customers. Importantly, municipal utilities contribute to the economic well-being of the city by making payments in lieu of taxes. These payments are similar to the tax payments that would be made by a private utility. Finally, municipal utility rates are, on average, lower than those of other utilities. Lower rates means more dollars available to spend on other goods and services, which boosts the local economy.

Community Values
Decisions about the operation of a municipal utility are made locally, by members of the community, at open, public meetings. Because all decisions are made locally, a municipal utility is uniquely able to respond to the community's needs, build on the community's strengths, and reflect and advance the community's values.