(Photo from Chris Brown Facebook)
- Holly Springs ratepayers have been plagued by lengthy service interruptions for months. Financial concerns have also been raised.
Silverpoint Consulting, LLC has been selected by the Mississippi Public Service Commission to conduct an independent investigation into the operations of the Holly Springs Utility Department’s provision of electric service.
Commissioners say the independent investigation will focus on the utility’s management of its distribution system operation, reliability, and the utility’s management of its customer service and related functions, including bill collection, bill accuracy, and customer care.
Silverpoint’s findings will be compiled into a comprehensive report, which will inform the Commission’s review of HSUD’s operations.
Holly Springs ratepayers have been plagued by lengthy service interruptions for months.
A September 2023 report from ActionNews 5 noted that the Tennessee Valley Authority has said HSUD is in a critical financial position. TVA provides electricity to HSUD.
“We have identified multiple violations of the wholesale power contract that’s resulted in 27 actions HSUD must take to get back into compliance,” said Melanie Farrell, Vice President, External Strategy & Regulatory Oversight at Tennessee Valley Authority, as reported by ActionNews 5.
Northern District Commissioner Chris Brown (R) said the PSC is committed to ensuring that HSUD customers receive safe and reliable electric service.
“This investigation and subsequent hearing will help the Commission make informed decisions about HSUD’s operations and any necessary improvements,” Brown said in a statement.
Commissioner Brown repeatedly spoke about the need to investigate and correct the issue at HSUD during his 2023 campaign for the Northern District PSC seat. Since taking office in January, Brown has made the issue a top priority.
Brown, a former State Representative, worked with State Senators Neil Whaley (R), Kevin Blackwell (R) and David Parker (R) to get Senate Bill 2453 passed during the 2024 legislative session. That legislation allows the PSC to “cancel a municipality’s certificate to provide service greater than one mile outside its corporate boundaries upon a finding that the municipality did not provide reasonably adequate service.”
