Today marks a remarkable milestone as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) celebrated the 90th anniversary of the passage of the Rural Electrification Act and the tremendous impact USDA programs have had on rural communities across the country. For nine decades, USDA has played a vital role in strengthening infrastructure, supporting economic development, and ensuring reliable access to essential services in areas that power the Tennessee Valley and America every day. Seven States Power Corporation is proud to have been mentioned alongside this important work and be recognized in partnership as USDA continues to advance the energy industry. We also want to extend our sincere thanks to Assistant Administrator for the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), Chris McLean, for recognizing Seven States and our new borrower status with USDA. Our partnership with USDA RUS represents an exciting new chapter for Seven States and reflects the shared commitment between our organizations to invest in abundant and affordable energy. “Once infrastructure is created, it must be nurtured, maintained, and improved over time. Today, we not only celebrate our history, we also celebrate our bright and shining future,” said McLean. McLean noted that USDA has longstanding relationships with borrowers dating back to 1930 and added that the agency is now working with new borrowers like Seven States. As energy demand continues to grow across the Tennessee Valley, we are excited about the opportunities this partnership creates to finance energy assets, expand power production and modernize grid infrastructure. Please join us in congratulating USDA on this special 90th Anniversary celebration! Click here for the USDA press release and photos from today’s celebration event.
Seven States Power Corporation President and CEO, Betsey Kirk McCall, attended the Tennessee Valley Corridor (TVC) Board of Directors meeting in Washington, DC on March 4, 2026, joining regional leaders to discuss economic development, infrastructure investment, and the TVC’s upcoming National Summit. The TVC brings together stakeholders from government, industry, and academia to strengthen the region’s competitiveness and support long-term growth. McCall’s participation reinforced Seven States’ commitment to collaborating with regional partners to ensure the Valley’s energy systems continue to support economic expansion and community prosperity. During this visit, McCall also met with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service staff to discuss additional federal financing opportunities that could support energy development across the Tennessee Valley. The conversation focused on Seven States’ request for nearly $6 billion in funding to acquire natural gas generation resources across the Valley. An additional $320 million could support distribution-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), helping utilities strengthen grid reliability and modernization of the region’s power infrastructure. By strengthening relationships with federal leaders and advocating for policies that support growing energy demands in the Valley, McCall reinforced Seven States’ commitment to reliable, affordable and abundant power supply. McCall plans to attend the TVC's National Summit on May 28-29, 2026 in Chattanooga, TN to highlight the region's growth for economic prosperity.
Seven States President & CEO, Betsey Kirk McCall, spent time at the Tennessee State Capitol on February 4, 2026, meeting with legislators including members of the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, and the House Commerce Committee. A central focus of the meetings was providing an update on Seven States’ Energy Express project, an initiative designed to support growth in the Tennessee Valley with 220MW of battery storage. This project will be funded with a $439 million award by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (USDA RUS) New ERA program. McCall shared how Seven States will leverage federal financing opportunities, such as their USDA award of $439 million along with access to additional federal funds, to build or acquire generation and capacity to meet energy demand across the region, particularly as TVA navigates its debt constraints. She updated the legislators on how funding available to Seven States complements and amplifies TVA’s efforts to maintain a reliable energy system. By pairing federal financing with regional expertise in project deployment, Seven States can help utilities of all sizes move energy projects forward. The Seven States team also successfully engaged in state-level advocacy efforts to help stop proposed legislation that would have imposed an additional tax on electric vehicle (EV) charging. Working alongside partners and stakeholders, Seven States communicated to lawmakers how the proposed tax could create unnecessary barriers to EV infrastructure development and slow innovation within Tennessee’s evolving energy and transportation sectors. These advocacy efforts serve to refine and advance initiatives that impact a rapidly changing energy landscape. Together with partner LPCs, Seven States is building and energizing the grid of the future.
