Huntersville is gearing up to run its own electric system starting this July, shifting day-to-day operations from a regional operator into a newly formed Huntersville Electric department. Town leaders say the change will let the municipality oversee maintenance, outages, and capital projects locally while keeping safety and reliability front and center. The decision follows a Town Board vote in August 2025 to bring operations in-house and a subsequent notice ending the prior operating agreement.
Timeline and the handoff
The current operator is slated to run Huntersville's distribution system through July 1, 2026. After that, the town will assume operational responsibility for the system. As described in an ElectriCities job posting, the operator's role for Huntersville is planned to conclude at that time so the municipality can step into day-to-day control.
Staffing the new department
The town is actively recruiting leadership and field crews to run the utility, including an Electric Systems Director along with operational, project, and line personnel. The openings and job duties are outlined on GovernmentJobs.com, which frames the hires as central to creating a self-managed electric department.
Service, outages and mutual aid
In a post on the Town of Huntersville Facebook page, officials said the transition will prioritize safety, reliability, and continuity of service, and that the new Huntersville Electric department will continue to participate in mutual-aid agreements during major outages or storms. The announcement also said customers served by Duke Energy and EnergyUnited will not be affected by the operational change. Public-power utilities commonly lean on cooperative mutual-aid networks to respond to big storms and restore service quickly, as outlined by the American Public Power Association.
Why local control matters
Town Manager Anthony Roberts called the move "a significant step" for Huntersville in the town announcement, describing it as an investment in local oversight and workforce development. The town has been recognized for strong local utility performance in recent coverage, underscoring its focus on staff and reliability. Hoodline reported on those honors and the community's public-power work.
What residents should expect next
For now, customers should see no immediate changes to their power supply while crews and managers gear up for the handoff next summer. Officials say more operational details, staffing updates, and customer guidance will be provided as the transition progresses toward the July timeline.
