Public Power Week 2026
October 4-10, 2026, is Public Power Week, a week fully dedicated to celebrating the substantial benefits of having a public power utility in your community! Some of the most notable benefits of public power are local control, reliable service and competitive, low rates.
KPUB is a public power electric utility company, meaning we are owned by the community we serve. We aren’t motivated by profits because we don’t answer to shareholders—we answer to our customers.
At KPUB, we work every day to provide our community with reliable power, competitively priced rates, and world-class service. KPUB is one of more than 2,000 public power utility companies that power the homes and businesses of over 49 million Americans across the U.S. Being served by a public power utility means the power is in the hands of the people. Our utility is operated locally, and decisions about how KPUB is run are made right here in Kerrville.
Our public power story began in 1987 when the City of Kerrville purchased the electric distribution system from the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) to put the power back in the hands of local citizens. Prior to that, our community’s power had been generated and sold by companies headquartered outside of Kerr County for 62 years.
This year will mark 39 years of KPUB being your community-owned, not-for-profit electric utility company. We invite you to celebrate with us during Public Power Week on October 4-10, 2026, as we share all the ways KPUB is helping power a better community for us all.
Bucket Truck Ride Event, Saturday, October 10
The Kerrville Public Utility Board (KPUB) is hosting a family-friendly event to meet our heroes in hard hats while we celebrate Public Power Week!
Please mark your calendars for Saturday, October 10, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., to join us at the River Star Arts & Events Park* for our 6th Annual KPUB Bucket Truck Ride Event. (*Please note the NEW location this year at 4000 Riverside Dr)
This free community event will feature family-friendly activities, including a ride in one of KPUB’s bucket trucks, line worker tool displays, photo ops with our linemen, face painting, and more. Also, don’t miss our energy education station for the kiddos! Each child who visits the energy education station will receive a free activity book.
KPUB will provide free hot dogs, chips, snow cones, refreshments, and t-shirts while supplies last.
KPUB wants you and your family to enjoy the experience of seeing our community from a bird’s eye view!
KPUB bucket truck ride safety precautions
- All riders must be harnessed at all times.
- Riders must at least be tall enough to see over the side of the bucket in order to be taken up in the bucket (43″ or above)
- Children eligible to ride must wear a kid’s harness.
- Operators can take riders up to 70% the height of the boom’s full capacity.
- To help maintain a safe environment during every bucket ride, KPUB reserves the right to refuse rides to people who are perceived to be a safety risk in any way.
KPUB Power Hour: Powering Forward, Our Public Power Story
Join Kerrville Public Utility Board (KPUB) in celebrating Public Power Week with a special Lunch & Learn presentation on Friday, October 9, 2026, from 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., with Q&A to follow, in the KPUB Board Room.
This year’s theme, Powering Innovation, highlights how KPUB continues to evolve as your community-owned, not-for-profit electric utility—delivering reliable & affordable power while investing in innovative tools and technologies that directly benefit our customers.
During the session, attendees will learn more about KPUB’s history of service to the Hill Country, our continued growth since 1987, and how we’re shaping the future through strategic investments, including power generation ownership and customer-focused technology enhancements.
We’ll also showcase KPUB’s newly redesigned SmartHub platform and its innovative features, including:
- Mid-month bill projections
- High usage alerts
- Appliance usage breakdown data
- Enhanced account management tools
- And more customer insights designed to help you better manage your energy use
Come discover how KPUB is powering forward through innovation, transparency, and service—together.
RSVP is required. Please RSVP to [email protected].
Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
1st-5th Grade Children’s Coloring Contest
KPUB’s coloring contest is open to all participants in 1st-5th grade.
Submissions will be accepted through Wednesday, September 30 (limit of one entry). Submissions must be turned into your child’s school or KPUB’s office by 5 p.m. on 9/30.
One winner will be selected from each grade. The winners will be announced during KPUB’s Bucket Truck Ride Event on October 10, and the top entries will be displayed throughout the event.
Prizes
The lucky contest winners will each receive a $50 Amazon gift card, Public Power Week t-shirt & a KPUB gift basket! The winners will also be featured in KPUB’s marketing publications, including our Energy Hub Newsletter & social media!
Questions? We are happy to help! Please contact us at 830.257.3050 or [email protected].
Drawings & Giveaways
Stop by the KPUB lobby during Public Power Week, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., to enjoy free cookies, pick up LED light bulbs (limit of 4 per customer), grab a 2027 KPUB calendar, and enter to win a smart Nest thermostat. We’ll also have these giveaways in the park!
The thermostat package includes free installation, plus an HVAC system inspection and tune-up! The winner will be drawn at 1 p.m. during the Bucket Truck Ride Event, and you don’t need to be present to win.