A private consulting firm has been hired to investigate the Holly Springs Utility Department (HSUD) amid outcry from the public surrounding perpetual power outages taking place in the north Mississippi community.
Northern District Public Service Commissioner Chris Brown announced Friday that Silverpoint Consulting, a Pennsylvania firm, will carry out an inquiry into the HSUD’s provision of electric services. Among services provided, Silverpoint Consulting boasts consulting expertise in the reliability and service quality of the utility provider realm.
The independent investigation will focus on the utility’s management of its distribution system operation, reliability, and 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.
“The Commission is committed to ensuring that HSUD customers receive safe and reliable electric service,” Commissioner Chris Brown stated. “This investigation and subsequent hearing will help the Commission make informed decisions about HSUD’s operations and any necessary improvements.”
Earlier this year, Gov. Tate Reeves signed Senate Bill 2453 into law expanding the public service commission’s authority over utility providers. In the event that terms are not reached by the HSUD to ensure that customers are adequately covered, the commission will have the power to revoke the utility provider’s certificate, preventing the HSUD from providing services further than one mile beyond its corporate boundaries.
The HSUD is run by the city of Holly Springs, despite more than 80 percent of users living outside of the city’s limits, essentially giving the vast majority of customers no representation within the utility provider’s leadership. Though users have consistently paid their bills, the services have not been delivered proficiently and nobody has answered why.
Leaders hope to gather some of those answers once the independent investigation wraps up.
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