TN Clean Fuels Press Release: Tennessee Tech Unveils DCFC Unit

On July 22, Tennessee Technological University (Tennessee Tech, or TTU) unveiled a new Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) station that will serve a U.S. Department of Energy-funded project started in 2019, as well as the greater Cookeville area. The unit was installed in a TTU parking lot along a busy corridor in Cookeville and will be the primary refueling site for an all-electric E450 shuttle bus that is part of the same DOE project. Lead project infrastructure partner Seven States Power Corporation managed the installation.

TTU was awarded and started that three-year DOE project last year, towards “developing an Electrical Vehicle (EV) Testbed in the 14-county ‘Upper Cumberland’ region of Tennessee.” The region is a largely rural area and includes a number of economically distressed counties (see map below). The grant’s Principal Investigator, Dr. Pingen Chen, is an Assistant Professor in TTU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and has brought a diverse group of about 10 partners into the project.

One component of this multifaceted project is the installation of nine EV charging units throughout the Upper Cumberland region. The first of the nine EV charging units is the DCFC unit that was installed at 320 University Drive, Cookeville, TN 38501. In the coming months, the remaining eight EV charging stations – all of which will be Level-2 stations – will be installed in select locations in the surrounding counties in the following cities: Lafayette, Carthage, Livingston, Byrdstown, Jamestown, Smithville, Sparta and Spencer.

Another facet of the project includes procuring five electrified vehicles, which include three Nissan Leafs, one all-electric E-450 passenger shuttle, and one plug-in hybrid F-250. “The three Nissan Leafs are ready to be used now for educational purposes, such as showcasing the value of electric vehicles through Ride and Drive or Show and Tell types of experiences specifically for our rural community,” said Dr. Chen. “Many times, in our state, we see plenty of EV opportunities and accessibility available in metropolitan cities, whereas rural communities are not prioritized. Our goal is to provide information, education, and a variety of EV experiences and opportunities for business leaders and community members to have access to this new automobile technology and to help inform their buying decisions.”

A 7 seven states charging station with a tree in the background. — The new ChargePoint DCFC unit has cables for both the CHAdeMO and SAE Combo standards and connectors.

Also, in attendance at the DCFC unveiling was TTU’s President, Dr. Phillip Oldham. “We are pleased with Dr. Chen’s EV initiative at TTU. This project fits well within TTU’s Grand Challenge Initiative called Rural Reimagined, which focuses on how the university will harness science, technology, and innovation to transform rural living,” said President Oldham. “Tennessee Tech serves more distressed counties than any other state university in Tennessee and is centrally located to eight counties in great need. We have an opportunity where this EV initiative can drive change through developing partnerships that will help transform our rural community. We find this opportunity energizing and a step-forward for Tech and our community overall.”

While the Nissan Leafs will be utilized to showcase EV operations and driving ease to individuals and fleets in the entire region, the E-450 shuttle will be used specifically by the transportation department of the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency. They plan to first utilize a TTU and downtown Cookeville route to operate the shuttle, but after any initial problems are worked out and the shuttle has proven its reliability in service, the department plans to move it to other routes around the 14-county region. Finally, the plug-in hybrid F-250 was specifically chosen as ‘best choice’ for getting farmers in the counties to test drive an electric vehicle. Jonathan Overly of ETCleanFuels notes, “if we really wanted to change the region’s farmers opinions about EVs, we thought that range restriction could make them test driving an EV a nonstarter. Thus, we elected to go with a plug-in hybrid so that they could finish any chore or task that they might handle on any given day.” The three Leafs are already in use, while the E-450 and F-250 are still in the process of being converted by those respective partners, Phoenix Motorcars and XL Fleet.

TTU’s project includes partnerships with Nissan North America, the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition, ChargePoint, Seven States Power Corporation, the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency, the University of Texas at Austin, Phoenix Motorcars, Lyft and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

For more information about this grant and project, contact Dr. Pingen Chen at pchen@tntech.edu .

To view this press release in PDF format, click here.

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Jason Reese

By Jessica Bradshaw • July 17, 2026

Jason Reese, General Manager of Shelbyville Power, Water, and Sewer System, leads his LPC with a focus on the evolving technology that strengthens reliability, improves efficiency, and enhances service for his customers. He took a moment to highlight some of the innovation that is truly making a difference across his community. AMI technology has had the greatest impact on Shelbyville Power, Water, and Sewer Systems and our community. Our system converted to AMI meters nearly 14 years ago, and this technology has enabled us to streamline many manual utility processes and improve operational efficiency in our electric and water systems. AMI electric meters with remote disconnect capabilities have enabled us to remotely disconnect and reconnect customers on the collections list, reducing truck rolls, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing employee safety. AMI water meters allow us to identify water leaks much sooner than was previously possible, benefiting both our customers and our efforts to reduce water loss. Our team is also very proud of our recent pilot distribution automation project installed on three circuits, each served by a different substation, which provide power to Shelbyville's two main corridors. Implementing distribution automation on these circuits helps minimize the number of customers affected during outages or the loss of a power source, improving service reliability for the community. Building on its success, our long-term goal is to expand distribution automation across all eighteen circuits and all three substations to further enhance system reliability, resiliency, and service to our customers. As the Valley continues to evolve and change, Jason knows firsthand that Seven States is a trusted industry resource and a valuable partner in helping LPCs navigate the process of implementing new technology projects. In June 2026, we completed our first EV charger project as part of the TN Fast Charge Network, and I cannot say enough good things about how Seven States and Joe Knox helped guide us through that process. These chargers have already been a hit with our community and have also brought in travelers from out of town to our downtown square. Everything from start to finish went as smoothly as it possibly could, and that is due to Seven States. While technology continues to transform the utility industry every day, Jason believes some aspects of the system will always depend on the knowledgeable workers who keep everything running behind the scenes. Hands-on infrastructure maintenance is one traditional utility practice that I believe will never completely disappear, regardless of how much technology advances. No matter how sophisticated our systems become, maintaining physical infrastructure will always require skilled workers to perform inspections, repairs, and upgrades in the field. Just as the utility industry is built on connections that span across communities, music has a way of bringing people together, even across generations. When asked which celebrity he would most like to meet for dinner, his choice was a musician who has stood the test of time. It would have to be Elvis Presley. As someone who has a love for all genres of music, to be able to sit down and talk with him about his career and experiences from gospel to rock-n-roll would be an absolute thrill!

David Smart

By Jessica Bradshaw • July 17, 2026

As utilities continue evolving to meet changing member expectations, David Smart, President and CEO of West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation (WKRECC), has focused on blending convenience with programs that directly improve quality of life. Smart points to both digital modernization and energy efficiency initiatives as areas where WKRECC has made meaningful strides for its members. One modernization effort that’s impacted our community has been the implementation of a mobile app and other digitized forms that make it easier for members to do business with their cooperative, including drive-thru registration and tablet voting at our annual meeting. Another would be Home Uplift initiatives, home energy audits, cold climate heat pump conversions and other programs we have implemented to improve the standard of living, comfort, and efficiency in our members’ homes. Innovation at WKRECC has also extended into advanced energy management and distributed energy resources. Smart elaborated on one of the cooperative’s proudest accomplishments involving internally managing demand and system performance. Our team is especially proud of our PowerShift Program, which utilizes our members’ whole home generators and batteries for demand response. The precision and application technology used has allowed us to offset our peak demand successfully. We have built our own DER gateway allowing us to meter, control, and interrogate home generators and inverters, and our own DERMS platform that incorporates an operational load forecast. Even as utilities embrace new technologies and digital tools, Smart believes some longstanding member habits will remain an important part of cooperative culture. Despite all of the technological advances in the utility world, I think many cooperative members will continue to pay their bill in person at one of our offices. Personal interaction and in-office service continue to matter for our members. In an industry focused on infrastructure and technology, Smart recognizes the value of strong communicators and trusted voices who help bring people and communities together. When asked a lighter question about who he’d like to have dinner with, he pointed to a well-known Kentucky figure who brings folks together. If I could have dinner with anyone, I would love to have dinner with the legendary voice of the Wildcats, Cawood Ledford. I think the stories he could tell would be enlightening and fascinating.

Energy Express: Advancing Tennessee's Electric Future

By Jessica Bradshaw • July 1, 2026

The second quarter of 2026 has been a productive period for the Seven States team, with much of the spring and early summer dedicated to engaging utility leaders, elected officials, community stakeholders, and the public to share the vision, progress, and benefits of the Energy Express Project. Members of the Seven States team had the privilege of speaking with leaders from BrightRidge, Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW), and the Nashville Electric Service (NES). These publicly held meetings served as important forums to answer questions, share project milestones, and demonstrate how the Energy Express Project will modernize and strengthen the Valley’s electric infrastructure for decades to come. Led by Seven States, the project will deliver 220MW of battery storage capacity across multiple site locations in partnership with BrightRidge (20MW), MLGW (100MW), and NES (100MW). The project is backed by Seven States’ award of a landmark $439 million zero-interest loan and grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (USDA RUS). A primary objective of the project will be creating a stronger, more flexible electric grid capable of meeting increasing energy demands related to the state's industrial, commercial, and residential sectors. The battery assets will charge during off peak hours and discharge during peak hours to help peak shave, reducing costs and grid strain while providing utilities with greater operational flexibility. Originally envisioned as a utility scale solar project, the initiative will now deploy battery storage as a standalone resource on the distribution system and the assets will be owned and operated by Seven States. The project's outreach efforts have been featured by local media outlets (highlighted below), and a dedicated website has been launched to provide project updates while offering the public an opportunity to submit comments and questions. As we continue advancing the project, we remain grateful for the opportunity to engage with partners across Tennessee and share our progress with the Seven States audience. We look forward to continuing these conversations with utilities, local governments, community organizations, and rate payers as the Energy Express Project moves forward. Together, we are building and energizing the grid of the future. POWERING UP: Chattanooga-based Seven States to build grid batteries with $439M in federal funds BrightRidge, Seven State Power Corporation partnership to bring battery storage to the Tennessee Valley MLGW and Seven States Power form partnership for battery storage MLGW, Seven States make deal to deploy battery storage Energy Express Project to Bring Battery Storage to Greater Nashville Nashville's power grid is about to get a boost. Here's how.