Caption: Jeremy Ash, Chair of the RP3 Review Panel and General Manager at Kansas City Board of Public Utilities; Cathryn Lacy, Utilities Marketing Manager, Lakeland Electric; Mike Dammer, Emerging Technology Manager, Lakeland Electric.


LAKELAND, Fla. (April 2, 2026) – Lakeland Electric has earned a Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3)® designation from the American Public Power Association for providing reliable and safe electric service to the Lakeland, Polk City and Polk County community. 

The RP3 designation, which lasts for three years, recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement. Criteria include sound business practices and a utility-wide commitment to safe and reliable delivery of electricity. Lakeland Electric joins more than 250 public power utilities nationwide that hold the RP3 designation.

“Receiving an RP3 designation is a great honor and a testament to the work these utilities are doing to follow industry best practices,” said Jeremy Ash, Chair of APPA’s RP3 Review Panel and General Manager at Kansas City Board of Public Utilities, Kansas. "These designees have distinguished themselves as committed to pursuing excellence and perpetual improvement for the benefit of their communities.” 

“We are incredibly proud to earn this distinguished designation,” said Mike Beckham, General Manager of Lakeland Electric. “We go to work every day to ensure reliable service to this community, and it’s nice to see this hard work recognized on the national level.”


About Lakeland Electric: Lakeland Electric is the third-largest public power utility in the State of Florida, serving 144,000 customers. It is one of the first utilities established in Florida, having begun operations in 1889 before being purchased by the City of Lakeland in 1904. Today, Lakeland Electric's 246 square mile territory serves the City of Lakeland, Polk City and its environs with affordable, dependable, and sustainable electric power.

About APPA: The American Public Power Association has offered the RP3 designation for 21 years. APPA is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 55 million people in approximately 2,000 towns and cities nationwide. APPA advocates and advises on electricity policy, technology, trends, training, and operations.