Seven States ‘Celebrates Innovation’ at 2022 Annual Meeting in Memphis, TN
November 21, 2022

Seven States Power Corporation held its 2022 Annual Meeting November 2-3 at the FedEx Institute of Technology on the University of Memphis campus in Memphis, Tennessee.

The two-day event kicked off with a board meeting on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 2. Leaders of LPCs across the Tennessee Valley participated in a business meeting the following morning, which was followed by guest speakers and an expert panel discussion. A dedication ceremony for two new solar workstations concluded the gathering.

“Our theme for this year’s Annual Meeting, ‘Celebrate Innovation,’ represents the progress our member-owner LPCs and Seven States have made together as we move the Valley forward through technology,” said Betsey Kirk McCall, President and CEO of Seven States Power Corporation. “We appreciate our member-owners joining us for this year’s annual meeting in Memphis – it was exciting to see one another.”

The following members of the Board of Directors were reelected unanimously during the business meeting component of the Annual Meeting:

  • David Wade, EPB of Chattanooga for Division 4
  • Mike Partin, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative for Division 7
  • Steve Hargrove, Sheffield Utilities, for Division 9
  • Allen Robbins, Sevier County Electric System, for the Appalachian District
  • Erik Brinke, Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corporation, for the Southeastern District

The Seven States team has doubled in size from four to eight professionals since the previous Annual Meeting at Rock City in Chattanooga, TN. The additional bandwidth and depth of experience have allowed the organization to work on 190 individual projects for 84 different LPCs across the Valley. Seven States has also supported over 60 EV and fiber grant opportunities by applying directly or on behalf of LPCs for funds in excess of $117 million.

“I look forward to the Seven States Annual Meeting each year because it allows member-owners to see how our unique organization is succeeding in areas ranging from EV chargers to cybersecurity and everything in between,” said Jeff Dykes, CEO of BrightRidge and Chairman of the Seven States Power Corporation Board of Directors. “I enjoyed the opportunity to see so many familiar faces and discuss the ways the Board can continue to support the mission of Seven States.”

Following the conclusion of the business meeting, attendees heard from featured guest speakers, including Jeff Lyash, President and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and George Andraos, Director of Sustainable Energy and Innovation at Ford Motor Company.

Lyash discussed the important role Seven States plays in the region and answered several questions from the audience on a range of topics such as grid resiliency and decarbonization strategies.

“Seven States has made such huge progress in a short period of time,” said Lyash. “I view Seven States as one of the key innovation players here in the Valley. With the right focus, it could be a key player nationally. It’s a great model.”

Andraos discussed what Ford is doing to bring quality jobs and technological innovation to the Valley through BlueOval City.

“We’re investing $5.6 billion here. BlueOval City isn’t just a project for Ford – it’s the future of Ford,” said Andraos. “I have never seen a site that has come together like the site here in western Tennessee.”

The Innovation Champion Award was presented to Dr. Jasbir Dhaliwal on behalf of the University of Memphis FedEx Institute of Technology. The SPARK Award was awarded to Andrea Harrington on behalf of Weakley County Municipal Electric System. And finally, Philip Lim of Middle TN Electric won a green electric guitar giveaway prize.

The annual meeting concluded with the announcement that drew great fanfare from the attendees: the 2023 Seven States Annual Meeting will be held Nov. 1-2 at the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY!

After lunch, leaders from MLGW, the FedEx Institute, TVA, and Seven States dedicated two new solar workstations on the University of Memphis campus. These innovative additions will give students, faculty, staff, and visitors a place to sit and charge electronic devices for years to come using the power of the sun.

Read more about the workstations dedication event here. To view photos from the 2022 Annual Meeting, click here.

 

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Fast Charge TN Site to Open in Collierville

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.

Seven States Power Corporation Announces Large-Scale Battery Storage in Partnership with NES

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.

Seven States Power Corporation Announces Large-Scale Battery Storage in Partnership with MLGW

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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