Seven States Power held its highly anticipated Annual Meeting September 30 - October 1 at Driftwood at City Harbor in Guntersville, AL. LPCs, stakeholders, and industry leaders gathered to explore the theme of "Rising With the Current" and discuss key issues that are shaping the energy industry such as bringing your own power, the advancement of American energy dominance, powering what protects our grid, and deploying federal funds for a regional impact. The meeting focused on collaborative efforts aimed at delivering affordable and abudant power to meet the evolving needs of Seven States members as well as addressing pressing challenges within the energy sector as a whole and ways to support the public power model to build and modernize the grid of the future.
During the Board and Membership Meetings, the Board of Directors recognized two directors with expiring terms and expressed appreciation to each for their years of service, leadership, and commitment to the organization’s path forward:
During the time together, the following two leaders were elected to fill these two open seats on the Seven States Board of Directors:
In addition, the following members were re-elected to a second term on the Seven States Board of Directors:
The full Board of Directors can be found HERE.
The Annual Meeting offered attendees the opportunity to hear from industry experts such as
Tyler Mauldin (Lead Energy Markets & Policy, Google),
Robert Smith (Assistant Director Business Development, Alabamba Department of Commerce), and
Doug McGowen (President & CEO, Memphis Light Gas and Water) to
examine data center operational and economic considerations around energy usage and grid connectivity.
The session was moderated by
Monte Cooper (President & CEO, Jackson Energy Authority).
The event also featured key LPC leaders who currently serve as Seven States
Valley Innovation Ambassadors
Ty Chancelor (General Manager, Hartselle Utilities),
Randy Carroll (CEO, East Mississippi Electric Power Association), and
Erik Brinke (Director of Administrative Services & External Relations, Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corporation) and moderated by
Gene Kanikovsky (General Manager & CEO, Joe Wheeler Electric Membership Corporation). This session explored the
impact of rate changes and how to continue innovating while keeping electricy affordable for ratepayers.
Seven States welcomed
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy James Danly as a featured keynote speaker for a conversation on the future of energy in the Tennessee Valley. His remarks brought a
federal perspective to the opportunities ahead as utility leaders work to meet growing demand and deliver reliable, affordable power to their communities.
Special guests
Steve Rush (Chief, Missile and Space Intelligence Center at Redstone Arsenal),
Paul Sutto (Director, Program Management Office U.S. Space Command at Redstone Arsenal), and Phil Hendrix (Facilities Operations Project Manager, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center at Redstone Arsenal) joined a panel moderated by
Joey Skinner (Deputy Director, Directorate of Public Works, U.S. Army Garrison at Redstone Arsenal). The discussion explored the connection between reliable energy and national defense, offering attendees a
perspective on how the Valley’s energy infrastructure supports military readiness and critical missions while providing insights on what it takes to power what protects our grid.
President & CEO Betsey Kirk McCall moderated a panel featuring
Chris McLean (Assistant Administrator, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service (USDA RUS)),
Tom Rice (Executive Vice President & CFO, Tennessee Valley Authority), and
Erik Spoerke (Senior Analytics Advisor Energy Storage, Department of Energy Office of Electricity)
guiding attendees through the financing structures and partnerships that help secure and deploy federal funding to advance affordable energy projects across the region.
Seven States was proud to give updates on the
Energy Express Project
which secured
environmental clearance
on all 22 proposed construction sites further ensuring the $439 million of USDA funds remain obligated for the project. Additionally, Seven States is
advancing forward to secure federal funding up to $5 billion
to alternatively finance gas plants in the Valley. Both of these major projects
will help
supplement the public power model
with low-cost power supply during a time of increased demand for energy in our region.
Each year at our annual meeting, we present the
Innovation Champion Award to an organization that embraces the spirit of innovation and exemplifies it in their operations. This year's recipient was
USDA RUS. Accepting on behalf of USDA was
Chris McLean who has championed the innovative partnership between USDA and Seven States to help finance assets, expand production, and modernize the grid.
This year marks the sixth presentation of the Seven States
Spark Award, which went to
Jason Kirkland (General Manager
Electric Board of Guntersville). Kirkland has been with the organization for 31 years. We are grateful for Kirkland's leadership across the Valley and his invaluable service to Seven States as a partner. We are honored to have worked with Electric Board of Guntersville on this year's signature project.
Seven States was proud to partner with the
City of Guntersville,
Electric Board of Guntersville, and
Autel to unveil a new 261kWh battery storage unit and 2 new EV charging ports at the Guntersville Senior Center. The addition of battery storage will enable the Senior Center to meet critical emergency preparedness requirements for designation as a FEMA shelter, strengthening its ability to serve residents during severe weather and other emergency events. These projects are another step forward in modernizing grid and transportation infrastructure to support the growing demand for reliable, affordable, and abudant power across the Valley. Designed, developed, and deployed by Seven States, the project reflects a commitment to innovation, community partnership, and serving Guntersville residents.
Read More.
A notable theme throughout the Annual Meeting was "Rising with the Current". Seven States Power reflected on its work over the past year and emphasized the role the organization plays in filling gaps and carving paths at both small and large scales offering member-driven solutions and customized energy services that address emerging challenges. Ongoing initiatives in designing, developing, and deploying reliable and innovative technologies were highlighted as key contributors to success.
Seven States reaffirmed its commitment to solving technology challenges incrementally with each LPC while solving them at scale for the Valley. Whether it’s large generation assets or distribution technology, if the solution benefits the Valley economy, you will find Seven States delivering it.
A special thank you to this year's sponsors for the event:
Electric Board of Guntersville,
Arab Electric Cooperative,
Municipal Utilities Board of the City of Albertville,
Marshall-Dekalb Electric Cooperative, and
Central Services Association.
