When the lights go out, so do they.
Powering Boone, day and night, since 1915.
Every time you flip a switch, there’s a team working behind the scenes to make sure the power is there — safely and reliably.
Each year in April, New River Light and Power joins our state and nation in recognizing the skilled lineworkers who serve our communities through all conditions, at all hours.
In honor of North Carolina Lineworker Appreciation Day and National Lineworker Appreciation Day, we’re proud to recognize the people who help keep our hometown powered.
What Lineworkers Do
More Than Meets the Eye
Lineworkers do much more than respond to outages, although that’s when it’s easiest to see how important they are to our community.
Maintaining & Upgrading Infrastructure
Our lineworkers are responsible for the maintenance and upgrades to our power lines and equipment.
Outage Response and Restoration
All of our lineworkers respond to outages in every type of weather, day and night. They don’t stop until power is restored.
Inspect Equipment and Connections
To keep everyone safe, our lineworkers and technicians inspect connections to the electric grid and all equipment.
Safety First, Always
Every lineworker knows safety comes first, always. That’s why they train often and do everything possible to keep themselves and each other safe.
Serving Our Community
Local Crews. Local Commitment.
At NRLP, our lineworkers aren’t just employees — they’re part of the community they serve.
They live here, raise families here and take pride in keeping the lights on for their neighbors, local businesses and App State’s Boone campus.
When severe weather hits or unexpected outages occur, they’re ready to respond. You’ll often find them working long hours in challenging conditions to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.
A Message of Appreciation
Thank You, Lineworkers.
We are grateful for the dedication, professionalism and resilience our lineworkers demonstrate every day. Their work often happens behind the scenes and in difficult conditions, but its impact is felt across our community.
Help us thank them for their service by sending a message of appreciation.
Calling All Lineworkers-in-Training!
Kids, teachers and parents: we’ve put together some fun activities, coloring pages and resources to celebrate lineworkers and what it means to be a public power community. If you need help printing these activities, stop by our office, we’re happy to help! Check them out:
- Who Would I Be…If I Worked In a Utility? NRLP Drawing Activity (PDF)
- NRLP Word Search (PDF)
- Public Power Lineworker Activity and Coloring Page (PDF)
- Electrical Safety Foundation International Kids Safety Website
Ready to learn more?
NRLP is committed to supporting and empowering education.
Investing in the next generation matters. Since 1988, NRLP has provided scholarships to Watauga County students who commit to App State. In 2025, our utility launched the NRLP Lineworker Scholarship. In 2026, the first recipient graduated from the CCC&TI Electrical Lineworker Institute. Visit the scholarships page to learn more. We are proud of all our scholars!
If your school, library or community organization would like a visit from our lineworkers or other subject matter experts like engineers, communicators and more, contact NRLP Public Communication Specialist Mariana Greene at greenemc7@appstate.edu.