(KANSAS CITY, Kan.) — The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (BPU), a municipal nonprofit electric utility, is joining public power entities across the country in celebrating Public Power Week from October 6-12. This week aims to raise awareness of the role public utilities play in local communities and the unique benefits they provide.

For over 100 years, BPU has delivered reliable and affordable electric utility service to Wyandotte County, currently serving 67,000 electric customers across a 135 sq. mile area. As a community-owned utility, BPU’s mission extends beyond power generation– it is dedicated to improving the overall quality of life in the area. Key contributions and benefits of BPU include:

• Locally Governed: Policy issues are managed by a locally elected six-member board of directors, ensuring community oversight and governance.
• Community-Owned & Accessible: BPU’s success is reflected by how much value stays within the community. All board meetings are open to the public and livestreamed, ensuring customer participation and transparency.
• Community Steward: BPU endows $12 million annually to the Unified Government (UG) to provide essential services, including:
  • Maintaining 6,800 fire hydrants, 9,000 streetlights, and 5,300 traffic signals, ensuring public safety.
  • Providing $6.9 million in water and electricity to UG facilities, reducing costs for essential government operations.
  • Operating the billing, collecting, and administrative functions for UG’s trash, wastewater, and stormwater utility services. Supporting the county’s first-responder radio system, keeping the community connected and safe.
• Supporting the WYCO Economy: More than 500 BPU employees live, shop, and contribute locally as residents of Wyandotte County.
• Community Involvement & Support: BPU supports the community through programs like the Utility and Hardship Assistance Programs and the Summer Youth Program, directly giving back to neighbors in need.
• Top-Rated Utility: Recognized nationally for safety, reliability, community service and volunteerism, environmental stewardship, and civic responsibility.
• Environmental Leadership: With 47% of its energy sourced from renewable sources, BPU remains committed to sustainability and affordability.

As a designated Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3), BPU’s electric generation, transmission, and distribution systems ensure dependable, safe, and redundant electricity to residents and businesses throughout Wyandotte County. This includes two power stations that can generate 427 megawatts of energy, 3,000+ miles of electric lines, 16,500 electric transformers, 27 electric substations, and more than 16,500 electric transmission and distribution poles.

Public Power Week is an annual national observance coordinated by the American Public Power Association (APPA). It is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities in 49 states – serving more than 54 million customers. More at publicpower.org

BPU’s water department was originally created in 1909, and its electric utility was operational in 1912. The purpose of the utility, then and to this day, is to provide the highest quality electric and water services at the lowest possible cost. Today the publicly owned utility serves approximately 67,000 electric and 53,000 water customers, primarily in Wyandotte County, Kansas. The mission of the utility and its employees is “to focus on the needs of our customers, to improve the quality of life in our community while promoting safe, reliable and sustainable utilities.” BPU’s Web site is www.bpu.com.