Paducah Power Considers Nonprofit Foundation

Paducah Power System officials are discussing the possibility of starting a nonprofit foundation that could be used to help fund some of the utility's charitable programs.

If you are a PPS customer, right now a small part of your monthly bill goes toward funding various community outreach programs. Perhaps the most well known of these programs, Christmas in the Park, has delighted folks with a dazzling light show at Noble Park for two decades. The program has also collected thousands of pounds of food for local pantries and raised more than a half-million dollars for charity. Another program, Operation Round Up, assists struggling households with making payments. Each of these programs costs the utility about $20,000 annually, according to PPS Director of Community Relations & Marketing Andrea Underwood. 

Although these programs are popular with many customers, Underwood says not all rate payers are thrilled with the idea of supporting them. She says setting up a nonprofit would allow the utility to apply for grant money, which would remove the burden on its customers to fund the programs.

"There is an expectation between some of our customers that we do support different activities or efforts within the community in some way. We also have customers who don't want us to do any of that, so we have to find a way to strike that balance," Underwood said. "We think we have to be a little out of the box in our thinking on that, and try to be creative in order to come up with some sort of idea. The idea of developing a nonprofit foundation is one that we're exploring." Underwood says the foundation would have a separate board, appointed by PPS board members, and would have a clear mission to support the utility's charitable programs. 

With Christmas in the Park entering its 20th year, Underwood says the cost of maintaining equipment will likely be a bigger factor going forward. She says there just isn't enough money to replace some of the aging equipment, or to add new displays. "There is an issue of maintenance that we're going to have to deal with at some point," Underwood said. "This is our 20th year, so there is a lot of wear and tear on the displays. If we are going to add to it or replace some of the displays that are going to wear out, that will take funds that we obviously don't have. A foundation might be a way to do that." 

Underwood said no decision has been made yet, and PPS officials are still just in the preliminary stages of exploring the possibility of setting up a foundation. She stressed that this would be one option to help the utility achieve its long term vision of being able to continue helping the community, while minimizing the financial impact on its customers.

"We're thinking long term on this, How do we make Operation Roundup grow, and better to help our customers? And is there a way to sustain the life of Christmas in the Park?" Underwood said. "The foundation is an idea that we're exploring."