Key Organizations Organizing Municipal Power and Municipal Broadband in the U.S.

A range of national organizations, advocacy groups, and local coalitions are leading efforts to expand municipal power (publicly owned electric utilities) and municipal broadband (publicly owned internet networks) across the United States. These organizations provide advocacy, technical assistance, policy support, and networking for communities seeking to establish or expand these services.

Municipal Power

• American Public Power Association (APPA):

  APPA is the primary national organization representing not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities. It advocates for public power interests before federal agencies, provides education, and supports operational excellence for its members, which include about 2,000 towns and cities across the U.S.[1]

• American Municipal Power (AMP):

  AMP is a nonprofit corporation serving public power communities in several Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states. It manages and supplies wholesale power to municipal electric systems, helps members with generation and power supply options, and provides a range of services to improve municipal utility operations.[2]

• Grassroots and Local Campaigns:

  Numerous local groups, such as Power San Diego and Metro Justice in Rochester, NY, are organizing campaigns to replace investor-owned utilities with municipal alternatives. These efforts often focus on feasibility studies, public education, and ballot initiatives to establish new public utilities.[3][4]

Municipal Broadband

• American Association of Public Broadband (AAPB):

  AAPB is a national advocacy group formed by municipal officials to represent and support municipal broadband networks. It provides a unified voice in policy discussions, offers educational resources, and helps municipalities navigate legal and funding challenges related to broadband deployment. Founding members include Highland Communication Services (IL), Traverse City Light & Power (MI), Kitsap PUD (WA), Ridgefield Economic and Community Development Commission (CT), and UTOPIA Fiber (UT).[5][6]

• Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR):

  ILSR is a nonprofit that provides technical assistance and policy guidance for community-owned broadband and energy solutions. Its Community Broadband Networks Initiative works with cities to improve local internet access and maintains a comprehensive database of municipal broadband networks nationwide.[7][8][9]

• Other Advocacy and Support Organizations:

  • Fiber Broadband Association
  • Coalition for Local Internet Choice (CLIC)
  • National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) These groups support local internet choice and digital equity, often collaborating with municipal officials and providing policy analysis and advocacy.[5][6]

Additional Supportive Organizations

• National League of Cities (NLC):

  Represents municipal governments and advocates for city priorities, including infrastructure and digital equity.[10]

• U.S. Conference of Mayors:

  Advocates for urban policy, including public utilities and broadband access.[10]

Summary Table

These organizations are central to the growing movement for community-owned utilities, helping cities and towns across the country pursue affordable, reliable, and locally controlled power and internet services[1][2][5][7][8][9].

Sources [1] About APPA - American Public Power Association https://www.publicpower.org/about [2] About | American Municipal Power https://www.amppartners.org/about/ [3] Meet the communities trying to take over their local electric utility | Grist https://grist.org/politics/meet-the-communities-trying-to-take-over-their-local-electric-utility/ [4] Is There an Easier Way to Create Public Power Utilities? https://energychangemakers.com/targeted-public-power/ [5] A New Municipal Broadband Advocacy Organization is Born https://communitynets.org/content/new-municipal-broadband-advocacy-organization-born [6] What's New in Digital Equity: Meet the Newest Muni Broadband ... https://www.govtech.com/civic/whats-new-in-digital-equity-meet-the-newest-muni-broadband-advocacy-group [7] The U.S. now has nearly 450 municipal broadband networks https://www.fierce-network.com/broadband/us-now-has-nearly-450-municipal-broadband-networks [8] In the US, municipal networks are all the rage - TelecomTV https://www.telecomtv.com/content/access-evolution/in-the-us-municipal-networks-are-all-the-rage-49459/ [9] Municipal broadband | public internet networks | Allconnect.com https://www.allconnect.com/blog/municipal-broadband [10] Helpful Organizations - Department of Energy https://www.energy.gov/congressional/helpful-organizations [11] Empowering Communities: The Rise of Municipal Internet - 123NET https://www.123.net/blog/empowering-communities-the-rise-of-municipal-internet/ [12] American Public Power Association: Home https://www.publicpower.org [13] American Municipal Power | Wholesale Energy Suppliers https://www.amppartners.org [14] Our Members - Large Public Power Council https://www.lppc.org/our-members [15] Members | American Municipal Power https://www.amppartners.org/members/ [16] Municipal Broadband Coalition of America | The advocacy group for ... https://www.mbcoa.org [17] Community Broadband Networks - Institute for Local Self-Reliance https://ilsr.org/broadband/ [18] Municipal Networks and Economic Development https://communitynetworks.org/content/municipal-networks-and-economic-development [19] Get to Know Our DMU Partners - Delano Municipal Utilities https://www.delanomn.us/blog/2025/01/09/get-to-know-our-dmu-partners/ [20] Municipal broadband advocates fight off attacks from “dark money ... https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/05/how-dark-money-groups-help-private-isps-lobby-against-municipal-broadband/