Project Liftoff Takes Flight
October 21, 2020

The sun shone brightly as officials from Seven States Power, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC) and Huntsville Utilities cut the ribbon to open Project Liftoff on October 1 at the close of the Seven States Power Annual Meeting. Before a crowd of members and their families and guests; employees of Huntsville Utilities; and U.S. Space & Rocket Center staff, Space Center CEO Louie Ramirez; Huntsville Mayor, Tommy Battle; Huntsville Utilities CEO, Wes Kelley; Seven States Power EVP Betsey Kirk McCall; and Astronaut Dr. Don Thomas symbolically opened this groundbreaking solar-powered, EV charging station that utilizes battery storage for greater functionality. Project Liftoff serves as an educational exhibit about the United States’ space program’s use of solar power in space exploration.

“Project Liftoff reflects both the ingenuity and the collaborative effort that it took to break away from gravity and send rockets soaring toward the stars. Seven States set out to imagine the possibilities of bringing together three technologies solar energy, battery storage, and EV chargers – that would connect power generation to space exploration in a way that visitors could interact with the technology. Achieving this vision required the partnership and creativity of our partners, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, and Huntsville Utilities,” said McCall.

The combination of solar power and battery storage will offer an economic assist to the USSRC by allowing them to offset energy usage by using the 30kW of electricity generated by solar power right in their parking lot. The USSRC, like so many businesses that depend on tourism, has been especially affected by the economic ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’ll also gain the benefit of having excess energy that it produces off its solar power which will help us reduce our cost of our electricity which is a very valuable thing for us as we’re working through all of our challenges as we go forward,” said the USSRC’s Ramirez.

In addition to helping the not-for-profit USSRC offset their energy costs, the Project Liftoff installation promises to help educate the thousands of visitors who pass through the center during a typical year about how solar power has enabled solar exploration, from the early solar panels that powered the Vanguard 1 satellite launched in 1958 to NASA’s current use of solar arrays to power everything from the Mars Rover to the International Space Station.

The outstanding results of the collaboration involved in bringing Project Liftoff to fruition also illustrates the power of partnership among the Tennessee Valley’s 153 local power companies. “It’s time we start integrating these technologies into our distribution systems and energy portfolios, and leverage them for the benefit of our customers,” said Kelley.

“As we enter into a new era with rapid developments in the distributed energy resources space, and the flexibility options afforded by TVA, knowledge-sharing and partnerships among local power companies can drive the kind of innovation that resulted in this first-in-the-Valley combined solar, battery and EV charger installation,” said McCall.

By Jessica Bradshaw June 29, 2026
June 29, 2026 The latest expansion of the Fast Charge TN network will open on Monday, June 29, in the parking lot of 175 Washington Street, across from Lost Pizza Company. The location of the Collierville site is ideal because of its proximity to the I-269 corridor and access to food and retail. The site has three Level-3 charging stations that can fully charge an electric vehicle in about 15-20 minutes.  With this site, there are now seven Fast Charge locations in Shelby County. Memphis Light, Gas and Water received a grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to open fast charging stations. The Collierville site is also a partnership with Seven States Power Company and the Town of Collierville.
By Jessica Bradshaw June 25, 2026
June 25, 2026 Seven States Power Corporation, headquartered in Chattanooga, Tenn., is pleased to announce that it will deliver a significant infrastructure investment to modernize the electric grid in partnership with Nashville Electric Service (NES), a municipal public utility based in Nashville, TN. The initiative, named the Energy Express Project, will deploy battery storage as a standalone resource designed to support peak demand, improve grid resiliency, and provide NES with greater operational flexibility. 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). This announcement follows similar recent announcements related to additional project locations across the state in partnership with Memphis Light, Gas and Water in Memphis, TN and BrightRidge in Johnson City, TN. The approach reflects a strategic decision to prioritize dispatchable energy assets that can respond immediately to system needs. By focusing solely on battery storage, Seven States and its partners aim to enhance reliability, allowing the utilities to better manage demand fluctuations and unexpected outages while maintaining some of the lowest electric rates in the country. “The Energy Express Project demonstrates how federal financing, local ownership, and collaborative partnerships can accelerate deployment of advanced grid technologies to help manage growing demand to meet the region’s energy needs,” said Betsey Kirk McCall, President and CEO of Seven States Power Corporation. “Battery storage provides an innovative tool that aligns with national priorities around energy dominance, affordability, and reliability.” Led by Seven States, the project will consist of 100 megawatts of battery storage capacity interconnected with NES’s electric distribution system. The batteries will be capable of storing energy from the existing grid and deploying it during periods of peak demand or system stress, helping stabilize the grid while reducing exposure to high-cost power purchases. “Our partnership with the team of experts at Seven States will allow us to deliver a battery solution that will modernize our grid, improve operations, and provide reliability for our customers,” said Teresa Broyles-Aplin, president and CEO of NES. “It gives us greater control during peak demand periods and supports our ongoing effort toward reliable energy distribution.” The battery installations will be constructed at several NES substations throughout Greater Nashville. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the project targeted for completion by December 2028. Once operational, the initiative is expected to support the electric needs of approximately 12,000 homes and businesses across the Greater Nashville area and create jobs during construction.  Seven States will utilize the award from USDA to build 220MW of battery storage with its electric utility partners in west, middle and east Tennessee. The initiative is among the first of its kind in the Tennessee Valley and represents a significant investment in grid reliability and local energy infrastructure. Seven States and NES view the project as a model for future battery-focused investments across the Southeast.
By Jessica Bradshaw June 18, 2026
June 18, 2026 Seven States Power Corporation, headquartered in Chattanooga, Tenn., announced in September a partnership with MLGW that would deliver a significant infrastructure investment to modernize the electric grid in partnership with Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) a municipal public utility based in Memphis, TN. Since that time, the project has expanded beyond its original scope. Originally envisioned as a combined solar-and-storage project, the initiative will now deploy battery storage as a standalone resource designed to support peak demand, improve grid resiliency, and provide MLGW with greater operational flexibility. The project remains 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). The revised approach reflects a strategic decision to prioritize dispatchable energy assets that can respond immediately to system needs. By focusing solely on battery storage, Seven States and MLGW aim to enhance reliability, allowing the utility to better manage demand fluctuations and unexpected outages while maintaining some of the lowest electric rates in the country. “We are thrilled to build new electric infrastructure to support growing demand and meet the region’s energy needs,” said Betsey Kirk McCall, President and CEO of Seven States Power Corporation. “Battery storage provides a powerful, flexible, and innovative tool that aligns with national priorities around energy dominance, affordability, and reliability.” Led by Seven States Power Corporation, the project will consist of 100 megawatts of battery storage capacity interconnected with MLGW’s electric distribution system. The batteries will be capable of storing energy from the existing grid and deploying it during periods of peak demand or system stress, helping stabilize the grid while reducing exposure to high-cost power purchases. “This scalable battery solution allows us to modernize our grid and improve reliability for our customers,” said Doug McGowen, president and CEO of MLGW. “It gives us greater control during peak demand periods to support power supply to our customers across Memphis and Shelby County.” The battery installations will be constructed at several MLGW substations throughout Memphis and Shelby County. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the project targeted for completion by December 2028. Once operational, the initiative is expected to support the electric needs of approximately 12,000 homes and businesses across Shelby County and create jobs during construction. Seven States will utilize the award from USDA to build 220MW of battery storage with its electric utility partners in west, middle and east Tennessee. The initiative is among the first of its kind in the Tennessee Valley, demonstrating how federal financing, local ownership, and collaborative partnerships can accelerate deployment of advanced grid technologies. Seven States and MLGW view the project as a model for future battery-focused investments across the Southeast. Additional Related Articles MLGW, Seven States make deal to deploy battery storage; xAI solar sublease scrapped Memphis leads TN in lead service line removal efforts MLGW proposes battery storage projects to strengthen electric grid
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