KUB, TVA Make Driving Electric Easier for Travelers in East Tennessee

Knoxville, TN – East Tennessee drivers and those passing through now have more electric vehicle (EV) charging options. KUB installed two public EV fast charging stations – one in Downtown Knoxville and one in Seymour. These locations fill key alternative fuel corridor gaps on I-75 and Route 441.

These stations are part of the Fast Charge Tennessee Network, a partnership between the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), and Seven States Power Corporation.

With support from the City of Knoxville and Food City in Seymour, four chargers were installed in Downtown Knoxville and five in Seymour. Each charger can deliver up to 150 kilowatts(kW) per vehicle for 0.40 cents per kilowatt hour. A full charge typically takes 30 minutes or less depending on the vehicle, allowing drivers to charge quickly when away from home or traveling.

“Supporting the adoption of electric vehicles is a major component of KUB’s sustainability efforts. We are grateful for the partnerships we have that address barriers to EV adoption,” KUB President and CEO Gabriel J. Bolas II said. “These partnerships make our work toward a more sustainable future even easier, and we’re thrilled to see new public charging stations filling those fuel corridor gaps.”

KUB’s Promenade garage in downtown Knoxville also has four Level 2 charging stations for public use. The City of Knoxville currently offers 36 Level 2 EV charging ports throughout the city.

“We are so grateful to KUB for the addition of 4 new electric charging stations downtown,” Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon said. “This investment goes hand-in-hand with the City’s sustainability efforts, and will help us attain a cleaner, greener Knoxville.”

Seymour’s newly installed EV fast chargers are the area’s first public chargers.

“Food City is committed to increasing sustainability throughout our market area. We are proud to partner with KUB, the City of Knoxville, and TVA to install an electric vehicle charging station at our Seymour Food City,” Food City CEO and President Steven C. Smith said. “We currently have charging stations available at several store locations and hope to continue our efforts to make public charging stations more accessible throughout our region.”

Similar to the partnership between KUB, the City of Knoxville, and Food City, TVA has brought together local power companies, state and local government partners, and others throughout the Valley to pave the way for over 200,000 EVs on Tennessee roads by 2028. Fast Charge Tennessee aims to make driving EVs easier for EV drivers by installing charging stations every 50 miles along Tennessee’s interstates and major highways. Approximately 50 new charging locations will go along prioritized corridor infrastructure gaps, tripling Tennessee’s existing fast charging network.

The benefits that these EVs bring to the Tennessee Valley region are significant:

Reducing carbon emissions from gasoline vehicles by almost 1 million metric tons per year or the equivalent of the carbon sequestered by 1 million acres of U.S. forests in one year
Reinvesting $120 million in the local economy every year from electric refueling
Saving drivers up to $1,000 in fuel and maintenance costs every year

“Today, EVs use our clean, low-cost, reliable electricity to connect communities and commerce across our region,” TVA EnergyRight Vice President Monika Beckner said. “Taking a leadership role in EV charging infrastructure allows TVA to save drivers money and attract good jobs and tourism– all powered by electricity from TVA and your local power company.”

For more information about KUB’s environmental efforts, visit www.kub.org/green

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Valley Update: Tennessee Valley Corridor & USDA

By Jessica Bradshaw • April 7, 2026

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.

State Update: Advocacy at the Tennessee State Capitol

By Jessica Bradshaw • April 7, 2026

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.

Federal Update: APPA Legislative Rally

By Jessica Bradshaw • April 7, 2026

Seven States Power Leadership traveled to Washington, D.C., February 23–25 to meet with members of the Tennessee Valley congressional delegation while attending the American Public Power Association (APPA) Legislative Rally with the nation’s public power electric utilities. Seven States Board Chair, Jeff Dykes, (CEO, BrightRidge) and President & CEO, Betsey Kirk McCall engaged with federal leaders to advocate for more power supply, educate on the flexible financing available to Seven States as a generation and transmission cooperative, and build relationships with federal representatives on key energy issues. 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 additional capacity. This project will be funded with a $439 million award by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service. McCall and Dykes also led discussions highlighting how Seven States serves as an in-Valley solution to the Tennessee Valley Authority’s current debt constraint challenges. Through its financing capabilities, Seven States can own utility-scale power plants and double the impact of TVA’s capital investments, thereby expanding production and modernizing grid infrastructure. McCall and Dykes worked to educate policymakers about how aligning objectives and encouraging the use of Seven States as a mechanism for short- and mid-term financing solutions can unleash American energy faster. McCall plans to attend the NRECA Legislative Conference April 26 – 28 in Washington D.C. to continue these efforts with the nation’s electric cooperatives.