Founded in 1985, the Ohio Public Power Educational Institute (OPPEI) is a nonprofit foundation that provides educational services for municipal electric employees and informs consumers about the benefits of public power.

The purpose of this nonprofit educational foundation is to promote increased awareness of municipal electric systems through publications, training and educational services. OPPEI sponsors conferences for employees and officials from member communities, hosts training courses and seminars for utility professionals, and distributes various educational materials, including Public Power News, to public power systems and consumers.

A Board of Trustees governs the OPPEI. The board consists of three elected member communities, each designating its own representative. The officers of the board are president, secretary and treasurer.

Current board of trustees members include:

• Don Smithberger, President, St. Clairsville, OH
• Steve Casebere, Secretary, Bryan, OH
• Harold Kasten-Krause, Treasurer, Lodi, OH

Learn more about some of the programs run through OPPEI:

Technical training is a key ingredient in the ability of member utility personnel to achieve and maintain a high degree of reliability in customer service. OPPEI technical training focuses on giving utility personnel the knowledge and tools improve reliability. Training topics include such areas as:

• Reliability Basics
• Measuring Reliability
• Maintenance Practices to Increase Reliability
• Relaying and Fuse Coordination
• Transformers
• Circuit Breaker & Recloser Basics
• Basics of Distribution Line Design
• Metering In’s & Out’s
• Others as requested

Read more about technical services offered to AMP members.

If you have interest or questions, please contact Michelle Palmer, director of technical services at 614/540-1111 or mpalmer@amppartners.org.

Often referred to as “climbing school”, these one-week courses are held at AMP-Ohio headquarters in Columbus, each spring and fall. The program has four levels: Basic I, Basic II, Intermediate, and Advanced. At each level, the course curriculum includes a mix of field experience and classroom work.

Read more about lineworker and other training courses offered to AMP members.

For questions regarding lineworker training, please contact Michelle Palmer, director of technical services, at 614/540-1111 or mpalmer@amppartners.org.

This quarterly publication is distributed to customers in municipal electric communities that subscribe for the service through OPPEI. Two pages are devoted exclusively to stories on the local electric system and its consumers; the remaining six pages contain news on energy conservation, utility programs, consumer interests and other general topics.

For more information on Public Power News, please contact Bill Evenson, publications editor, at 614/540-1111 or by email at bevenson@amppartners.org.