The City of Southport Public Utilities is partnering with ElectriCities, a not-for-profit membership organization of municipally owned electric utilities that are spread across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, to conduct residential and commercial telephone surveys as part of a long-term planning study.

The telephone survey will begin on March 8^th, 2021 and will be conducted by GreatBlue Research, Inc., a professional market research firm located in Glastonbury, Conn. We want to hear from you, so keep an eye out for the name of the firm (“GreatBlue”) on your caller ID, or the phone number that will appear will be 860-740-4000, or a variation of it.

If customers have any questions about the survey, please contact GreatBlue Research, Inc. at 860-740-4000. Inquiries about the cost of the survey, utility rates should be directed to the City’s Electrical Superintendent Paul E. Pittenger, 910-457-7938.

The City of Southport does not guarantee continuous and uninterrupted electric service and shall not be liable for loss or damage caused by any failure to supply electricity or by any interruption or reversal of the supply of electricity unless due to the negligence of the City.

The customer shall notify the 24 Hour Emergency number promptly at 800-682-5309 of any defect in service or of any trouble or irregularity in the electric supply. In no event shall the City be responsible for any damage resulting during the customer’s delay in notifying the City of such trouble or irregularity.

It is possible to save on your electric bill by having load management switches installed on your electric water heaters, central air conditioning systems, or heat pump heating/cooling systems.

• There is no cost to install a switch.
• Water heaters are controlled 12 months of the year.
• Air conditioning units are usually controlled from May through October.
• All load management switches are installed by a licensed electrician.
• If you disconnect your load management switch, your electric rate will revert to a higher rate.

Ordinance amending Chapter 19, Article V, of the Southport City Code

Article V. Electrical Service

Sec. 19-186. Load Management.

(a)          The building contractor or his plumbing or electrical sub-contractor shall place a Load Management switch provided by the City on all Electric water heaters 40 gallons or larger, as long as they are no more than 9kW, installed in new residential structures before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued. (April 12, 2018)

(b)          The building contractor or his HVAC or electrical sub-contractor shall place Load Management switches provided by the City on all compressor and heat strip circuits on all standard 240V Electric Heat Pumps or HVAC units installed in new residential structures (“mini-split” heat pump units and geothermal systems are exempt) before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued. (April 12, 2018)

(c)           Property owners, when making application for electrical service to an existing residential property, shall permit installation of load management switches if not already installed and functioning on all compressor and heat strip circuits, on all standard two hundred forty volt (240V) electric heat pumps or HVAC units (“mini-split” heat pump units and geothermal systems are exempt) and on all electric water heaters forty (40) gallons or larger provided they are no more than nine (9) kilowatts before an electrical service account will be granted. (June 11, 2020)

Load Management Information Packet

Load Management Customer Participant Agreement