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Deep Dive

How the 10 biggest U.S. utilities use Twitter

Published March 8, 2013
Davide Savenije's headshot
Davide Savenije Editor-in-Chief

Twitter can be a utility's best friend — even if it is filled with complaints and angry smart meter opponents. At the end of the day utilities need to provide the best customer service possible, and Twitter provides a fast, direct line of communication with the people who ultimately pay for the electricity. Depending on a utility's grasp of social media, that unfiltered connection either be a blessing or a curse.

Utility Dive keeps an eye on how the 10 biggest U.S. utilities and their subsidiaries use their Twitter accounts and what they say. The following entries are great case studies for what to do and what not to do in in the Twittersphere. Take a look:

10. NATIONAL GRID
On Twitter: @nationalgridus

National Grid uses its Twitter account for power outage announcements and to update customers on the estimated times of restoration for their areas. National Grid reaches out to all those who tweet at them, attempting to address customer concerns and facilitating their resolution.

9. XCEL ENERGY
On Twitter: Xcel has a main account (@xcelenergy), accounts for each state's respective Xcel utility (@XcelEnergyND, @XcelEnergySD, @XcelEnergyNM, @XcelEnergyWI, @XcelEnergyTX, @XcelEnergyMN and @XcelEnergyCO), an account for its voluntary renewable power program (@Windsource), a customer service account (@XcelEnergyHelp) and a bird cam account that tracks birds' movements near Xcel power plants (@XEBirdcam).  

Xcel Energy's main and state utility accounts practically tweet out the same things — energy savings tips, trivia questions, region-specific outage information and replying to customers who tweet at them. There are a few minor exceptions, however, such as Xcel's Wisconsin and South Dakota accounts, which tweet rarely or not at all. Meanwhile, Xcel's help account tries to facilitate the resolution of customer problems and concerns, no matter the region. Xcel's Windsource account tweets out wind energy-specific news and PR. 

8. FIRSTENERGY
On Twitter: FirstEnergy has a main account (@firstenergycorp) and its subsidiary accounts (@ohioedison, @illuminatingco, @toledoedison, @Met_Ed, @Penelec, @penn_power, @W_Penn_Power, @JCP_L, @MonPowerWV and @PotomacEdison).

Like many of the utilities on this list, FirstEnergy uses its main account for public relations purposes by primarily tweeting company news, friendly reminders and tips, links to FirstEnergy pages, apps and storm updates. FirstEnergy's subsidiary utilities tweet out the same posts as FirstEnergy's main handle but each subsidiary replies individually to its customers to try to resolve their concerns.

7. AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER
On Twitter: American Electric Power (AEP) has a main account (@AEPnews), a handle for its retail energy provider (@AEPenergy), a handle for its Economic and Business Development team (@AEP_EconDev) and accounts for its subsidiaries (@aepohio, @SWEPCoNews, @PSOklahoma, @AEPTexas, @AppalachianPowe, @IN_MI_Power and @KentuckyPower).

AEP's subsidiary accounts each fend for themselves, tweeting out outage updates, energy efficiency pointers and interacting directly with customers. The three official AEP accounts are different: @AEPnews tweets out company news and energy tips, @AEPenergy tweets about how to cut costs and energy use and @AEP_EconDev tweets out market trends and energy insights.

6. SOUTHERN COMPANY
On Twitter: Southern Company has a main account (@SouthernCompany) and accounts for its subsidiary utilities Gulf Power (@GulfPower), Georgia Power (@GeorgiaPower), Mississippi Power (@MS_Power and @MPCStorm) and Alabama Power (@alabamapower, @APC_Southern, @APCMobileArea and @APC_Southeast).

Southern Company's main account tweets out company news while its subsidiaries' accounts typically respond to consumer concerns. For example, Mississippi Power has two accounts, a general account which tweets out energy efficiency tips and PR and a storm-specific account which tweets outage and restoration updates. Alabama Power, on the other hand, has one main account and three region-specific media relations accounts, two of which are protected. 

5. NEXTERA ENERGY
On Twitter: NextEra Energy has a public account (@nextera_energy) and a protected one (@nexteraenergy).

While NextEra Energy uses its account to almost exclusively tweet company news and press releases, in January, their account held a #GetInTheRace Twitter sweepstakes to promote their Twitter account and the pursuit of clean energy. Entrants were given the chance to win two tickets to the Daytona 500.

4. EDISON INTERNATIONAL
On Twitter: Edison International does not have a main account, but its subsidiary Southern California Edison (@SCE) does.

Southern California Edison's Twitter handle keeps followers informed with public service announcements about the latest power outage, storm, earthquake information and other need-to-know updates. Their account also tweets out energy efficiency pro-tips and replies to customers.

3. EXELON
On Twitter: Exelon has no main account, but its utility subsidiaries' accounts are @MyBGE (Baltimore Gas & Electric), @ComEd (Commonwealth Edison) and @PECOphila (Philadelphia Electric Company's protected account).

Although Exelon has no Twitter account, it's subsidiaries do. Baltimore mainly uses its Twitter handle to communicate with customers, particularly irate ones whose power is out. Similarly, Commonwealth Edison uses its account to respond to customers, but also to tweet out energy-saving pro-tips and announce events and promotions.

2. PG&E
On Twitter: @PGE4Me

PG&E's account keeps followers alternately entertained and informed with trivia, company news, energy efficiency insights, safety tips, public service announcements and breaking updates, especially before and during storms and power outages.

1. DUKE ENERGY
On Twitter: Duke Energy has a main account (@DukeEnergy), a storm account (@DukeEnergyStorm), an energy efficiency account (@DE_Youtility) and accounts for its Progress Energy subsidiaries in Florida (@ProgEnergyFL) and the Carolinas (@ProgEnergyNC_SC). 

Duke Energy's main account mostly tweets out company news, its storm account delivers weather, outage and restoration updates and its Youtility account posts energy savings advice for consumers. Unlike the compartmentalization of responsibilities embraced by Duke's other accounts, its two Progress Energy accounts do a little bit of everything — from public relations and customer service to storm and restoration information and updates.

Would you like to see more utility and energy news like this in your inbox on a daily basis? Subscribe to our Utility Dive email newsletter! You may also want to read Utility Dive's list of the 12 journalists on Twitter you need to follow for utility news.

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