A Message from the CEO, Jafar Taghavi

Posted: January 1, 2020, 7:00 am

2019 proved to be a very successful year for Peninsula Light Company – but the year didn’t quite start out according to plan. It wasn’t long into the year when a historic winter storm impacted our area with record-breaking snowfall (Snowmageddon). Considering the extreme weather conditions, PenLight’s electric system responded well, our crews and staff went above and beyond the call of duty, and the amount of community support and encouragement we received from you throughout the storm repairs and cleanup was incredible. All the cards, letters, notes of appreciation, Facebook posts, and tweets that you sent to express your gratitude and support meant a lot to our staff, especially our crews. The community truly rallied around us during the storm and turned a difficult scenario into a positive start to the new year.

Despite our top ranking in power reliability, Snowmageddon allowed us to re-evaluate some points in our system where improvements could be made to strengthen our energy grid. In the year ahead, you will see our crews continuing to install tree wire, strategically undergrounding electric equipment and performing other cost-effective maintenance and improvements like upgrading meters. Our Meter Upgrade Project kicks off in 2020 allowing PenLight to keep pace with our evolving industry, and enabling our community with technological advancements that help detect, isolate and restore power quicker.

This year, PenLight also conducted its bi-annual Member Satisfaction Survey in partnership with National Rural Electric Association (NRECA). In this survey, PenLight member’s gratitude shined bright. Over the last 7 member satisfaction surveys – spanning 15 years – PenLight’s average ranking was at 8.8 out of 10 in Overall Satisfaction. I am so proud to announce that the results for 2019 came in at an overwhelming 9.16 – an all-time overall member satisfaction record!

We also utilize this member survey to gain an insight into our community’s priorities so that we can make more informed decisions on long-term investments, like community solar programs, equipment and technology upgrades, and electric vehicle programs.

Finally, speaking of electric vehicles, PenLight stepped into the EVolution and added a Chevy Bolt to its fleet. We look forward to offering more EV workshops to our members and educate them through our firsthand EV ownership and user experience.

As we look to the future, PenLight continues to focus on more opportunities to improve the quality of life in our community. On behalf of my entire PenLight team, I wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year.