News & Events

For more than 15 years, Seven States has been immersed in the emerging needs of the energy industry and the evolving supply of energy to the region. Seven States was created in partnership with TVA and more than 150 local power companies to finance utility-scale generation assets. In the early years, Seven States and TVA jointly owned an 800MW combined cycle plant in Southaven, Mississippi. More recently, Seven States was proud to announce that it had been awarded a $439,000,000 investment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New ERA program to build 250MW of low-cost energy using a zero-interest loan. The shovel-ready project will bring online 250MW and help ease the State of Energy Emergency. The solar plant, owned and operated by Seven States, will deliver energy across the region to TN, AL, GA, MS, KY, NC, VA, and will power approximately 113,000 homes while creating over 100 construction jobs. The project continues to garner support from local, state and federal officials and is part of an “all of the above” approach to deliver power to consumers. This federal funding will provide our region with much-needed low-cost energy used by residents and businesses throughout the Valley. The Seven States team has been hard at work with our local power company member-owners to develop energy supply strategies that reach beyond this one project. This highlights our dedication to bring multiple energy sources to the grid. Over the years, our work has expanded beyond utility-scale generation to include distribution-scale technologies. We are enhancing reliability through the installation of battery storage units at regional locations such as the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and Montgomery Bell State Park in Burns, Tennessee. Seven States, a G&T cooperative, was created out of the need for innovative solutions. The awarded project is just one example of the innovative thinking and decisive action necessary to tackle the energy challenges of our time. We understand that economic development and job creation stop without power supply. Together with our public power model stakeholders, we intend to “ready the region” and respond to the increase in demand with additional power supply. An opportunity of this magnitude will drive our ability to attract and retain innovative businesses to the region and be a flagship model to the rest of the nation. This opportunity is significant for the region and we encourage you to learn more about the project here. We want to thank the Seven States Board of Directors and our partners for leading boldly to advocate for the USDA funding to supply much needed low-cost energy to consumers across the region. Your support demonstrates how everyone wins when we take innovative action to deliver power to those we serve.

At Seven States, we take pride in fostering innovation and supporting employees who are building the grid of the future. Joe Knox, our Director of Technology Deployment, recently contributed to a research paper on the future of electric vehicle (EV) chargers. His expertise and dedication are helping shape transportation infrastructure and manage additional demand for energy. As the demand for EVs continues to grow, the need for efficient, reliable, and accessible charging infrastructure is more critical than ever. Knox contributed to the work of PhD candidate Mehdi Khaleghian of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Knox served as a key industry expert by providing EV charging data for the project. Together, they explored methods to better predict charging station outcomes, which will benefit EV drivers, station owners, and electric utility operators. To date, Seven States has installed more than 250 EV charging stations across 6 different states – that’s nearly 500 EV charging ports in under 4 years. The research paper focuses on the data gleaned from EV charging installations and will inform the collective work of experts within the EV sector as they move forward in building a dynamic power grid. Specifically, the paper explores using embedding vectors to capture the latent characteristics of EV charging stations based on user-station interactions. These factors help improve predictive tasks such as utilization forecasting and infrastructure planning through the use of Machine Learning Models. “Working on this project was an exciting opportunity to contribute to the future of EV charging,” said Knox. “We explored ways to make charging faster, more efficient, and better integrated with the grid. It’s rewarding to see how our research can shape real-world solutions.” As we continue to manage the transition to electric mobility and the infrastructure to support it, real-time analytics from actual deployments lead to data driven decisions, thereby removing the guesswork from next steps. Knox’s contributions demonstrate the power of collaboration and innovation in tackling the challenges of tomorrow. We’re proud to have such forward-thinking minds on our team, driving progress and making a lasting impact on the energy industry. To view Seven States’ EV charging deployments, visit our interactive map.

Seven States is excited to introduce a new product: Reliability as a Service. Under this new offering, Seven States will acquire battery storage systems and natural gas generators, and provide the capacity to LPCs and their customers. These distribution assets will be used locally for demand response, outage mitigation, and operations, while Seven States will build the capabilities to aggregate the capacity for utility scale benefits. Through its partnership with CAT/Stowers, Seven States is the only Stowers reseller in the region and, as such, can provide special pricing on Caterpillar backup generators to LPC members. Seven States will work with each LPC to analyze energy usage and the economics of a potential system, and support for acquiring it. Two options are available: Seven States will procure, own and install the unit, making the capacity and operation of the unit available to the LPC under an agreement. If the LPC prefers to own the unit, Seven States will provide turnkey project management services to the LPC. We kicked off the launch of Reliability as a Service at our 2024 Annual Meeting with the dedication of a new 150kW – 2hr battery storage system installed at the Montgomery Bell State Park Visitor Center in Burns, TN. Seven States owns the battery and provides the capacity to Dickson Electric System who operates it, and the State of Tennessee hosts the site. Learn more by clicking here. Our goal for this program is to add distributed energy resources (DERs) to local power grids. This offering is optimal for behind-the-meter and front-of-the-meter generation, supplemental power for data centers, and grid optimization. The versatility of the resource is its greatest strength. With Seven States’ Reliability as a Service, LPCs now have a path for quickly meeting increased local demand and operational requirements. The battery storage system and natural gas generators can provide immediate relief to the grid by: Offsetting capacity constraints Reducing wholesale demand charges Enhancing reliability and resiliency Seven States is well-positioned to deploy these solutions. As a non-profit that exists to deliver affordable and reliable solutions that benefit LPCs and their customers, we can leverage opportunities within the marketplace effectively and efficiently to reduce the costs related to installing battery storage systems and natural gas generators. To get started on your Reliability project, contact Lance Irwin at lirwin@7spc.com 

CHATTANOOGA, TN – January 10, 2025 – Seven States Power Corporation (Seven States) is proud to announce that it will receive $439,000,000 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New ERA (Empowering Rural America) program. The funding is earmarked for new energy initiatives, and this award will provide low-cost affordable power to nearly 10 million people. Seven States is an energy solutions cooperative that is owned and operated by the 153 local power companies across the seven state region of the Tennessee Valley (TN, KY, MS, AL, VA, NC, GA). Their member-owners distribute TVA-generated electricity and provide a variety of essential services that build the economy and enhance life in their communities. Seven States is one of three organizations spotlighted by the USDA for their proposed project. The full announcement can be found here. Funding for projects through this initiative will focus on utility-scale new energy resources such as solar generation and energy storage technologies. These investments are part of an ongoing industry-wide effort to enhance the grid with energy technologies to meet increasing demand for power. A primary advantage to our region is the public power model and the partnership between the power distributors and their power provider, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). One such project would add more than 250MWs of energy through the construction of a utility-scale solar plant in the Tennessee Valley. The plant will be owned and operated by Seven States. Jeff Dykes, Chairman of the Board of Seven States and President & CEO of BrightRidge, said, “Procuring these resources is a big step in the right direction for advancing Seven States’ mission to leverage innovative technology to design, develop & deploy energy solutions for the Tennessee Valley. An award of this size and magnitude is significant for our region and we are thankful for the opportunity it presents.” Betsey Kirk McCall, President & CEO of Seven States, expressed excitement about the grant’s impact, stating, “The New ERA program is an incredible opportunity for Seven States, our power distributor members, and TVA to work together in bringing low-cost power to the Tennessee Valley. The 250MWs of additional power will support the growing needs of the region to meet consumer demand for technology and energy.” Seven States is committed to working closely with local communities, energy providers, and policymakers to ensure a reliable energy future. The projects supported by the New ERA grant are expected to create new jobs, stimulate economic growth, and generate energy. The new solar generation is expected to take up to three to five years to finalize the design, develop and deploy all aspects of the projects. Once active, it is anticipated that this project will facilitate a higher degree of reliability and resiliency to the existing energy grid and assist in meeting increased demand as the Tennessee Valley region continues to experience growth in population and economic development.

Nearly two years ago, Seven States teamed up with Nissan, Middle Tennessee Electric, and the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute, to launch an innovative second-life battery storage project. Seven States became an early partner to the project and will use data collected throughout the process to inform how to design, develop, and deploy BESS options to scale throughout the Valley. The university researchers on the project, led by UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Electrical Energy Conversion and Storage Tom Zawodzinski, is taking a deep dive into the varied uses for EV batteries past their point of optimum performance. By investigating the composition, movement, and degree of degradation of the batteries, the team intends to optimize the second use power supply to provide power during peak demand. On November 18th, 2024, Joe Knox spoke on behalf of Seven States at Nissan’s “BESS Peak Shave & Microgrid Kick-Off and Ribbon Cutting” ceremony. Seven States is proud to serve as a partner and advisor for Nissan and looks forward to continuing the work. This collaboration is sure to have an important and lasting impact on the future of the grid. To learn more about the project click here.

MATHISTON, Miss. (WCBI) – Travelers along Highway 82 and The Natchez Trace Parkway will now have a new refueling option. 4 County Electric Power Association has teamed up with the Tennessee Valley Authority and S and S Shell in Mathison to install the utility’s first Electric Vehicle Charging Station. TVA is trying to reduce “range anxiety” for EV owners across its service area by working with partners to reduce the distance between charging stations. The junction of 2 well-travelled highways made Mathiston a good location for 4 County to get into the charging market. “So, TVA came to us a couple of years ago and said, ‘Hey look, we want to fix range anxiety for electric vehicle across the Tennessee Valley’, and they offered us some grant money. We partnered with them to build this fast charger. What you see here is the most powerful fast charger in the Tennessee Valley footprint as of today, here in 4 County Electric Power Association and Mathiston, Mississippi,” said Brian Clark, CEO of 4 County EPA. The S and S site in Mathiston has 4 chargers available.

Driven by economic growth, increased electrification, and ambitious renewable energy targets, demand for electricity has surged, but the supply has been challenged with aging infrastructure and evolving regulations. Luckily, at Seven States, we have a lot of great minds working together to proactively address this challenge. Moreover, we are ramping up our rollout of battery energy storage solutions and backup generation in an effort to achieve 300MW of additional aggregate capacity across the Valley. We recently had the opportunity to gain insight on this important issue from industry expert and incoming Seven States board member, Erin Gill. Gill currently serves as Vice President of Sustainability & Government Relations at Knoxville Utilities Board. As she assumes a role on the Seven States Board of Directors, we asked her to reflect on a few questions about Seven States’ Reliability as a Service as we close out 2024 and look forward to 2025. Why do you think it’s important to focus on Reliability Services, specifically Battery Energy Storage Solutions (BESS), at this point in time? Battery storage is increasingly emerging as a critical resource for local power companies aiming to enhance energy reliability, especially during peak demand periods. By deploying battery storage systems, local power companies can manage fluctuations in electricity demand more effectively, store excess energy generated during low-demand periods, and release it when demand surges. This not only helps stabilize the grid but also reduces the need for expensive peak power purchases. Battery energy storage solutions also allow local power companies to improve resilience by maintaining service during outages or disruptions, which is especially valuable in regions prone to extreme weather events or grid vulnerabilities. Is it possible to scale this solution and, if so, what does that mean for how we build and connect to the grid of the future? As battery technology advances, scalability becomes more achievable, making it a viable option for power companies of all sizes. Implementing battery storage solutions can also support the integration of renewable energy sources, such as solar, by storing intermittent energy and providing a reliable backup when these sources are not actively generating. This synergy between battery storage and renewables enables local power companies to expand clean energy use without compromising on stability or reliability. Moreover, battery storage offers long-term cost-saving potential by reducing dependence on non-renewable peaking plants and minimizing transmission losses, ultimately benefiting both utilities and customers with cleaner, more stable energy options. What role is Seven States playing in designing, developing, and deploying these technologies into the energy ecosystem? It was exciting to see the BESS unit installed at Montgomery Bell State Park during our Annual Meeting. This unit, and others like it, demonstrate what is possible as we connect these solutions to the grid. Building on the efforts of early projects like EV chargers, solar canopies, solar consulting, and microgrids, Seven States is using what they have learned to grow and scale these solutions faster. At KUB, we’ve appreciated Seven States’ support for several local efforts to adopt new types of technologies and meet the needs of our customers today with an eye toward the future. Do you have any closing thoughts about what NOT developing and deploying these technologies means to the energy industry? Energy technologies and customer needs are evolving rapidly, and electric utilities in the Valley must be ready to incorporate new practices and technologies in order to ensure we can continue to meet growing demand while keeping energy services affordable and reliable. Renewable energy, battery storage, demand response, and other distributed energy resources aren’t just “nice to haves.” Utilized strategically, these resources can be cheaper and more nimble than more traditional energy resources. By using them wisely, LPCs can help keep energy affordable while providing ancillary benefits for local infrastructure and for utility customers. It is for all of these reasons that Seven States plays a vital role at a critical juncture. The work they do allows LPCs to work simultaneous paths to efficient and effective solutions. Their partnership in the industry will help us all “keep the lights on.”

Seven States is proud to announce an important next step in providing sustainable power generation to energy consumers in the Valley. Since 2019, CAT/Stowers and Seven States have been partnering to supply backup generators throughout the region. These units offer Natural Gas (NG) prime power backup generation for sizes 750kW – 2.5MW. To date, Seven States is the only entity to have a reseller agreement with Stowers in the region. They are now excited to share that, as of September 2024, an enhanced partnership will extend specially negotiated pricing for the generators to Seven States member LPCs. This discount can only be accessed through partnership with Seven States. The shared goal between CAT/Stowers and Seven States is to cultivate a more reliable demand response environment for energy providers and diversify power supply options to high demand times. To inquire about how to take advantage of this special offer click here.

During the 2024 Seven States Annual Meeting in October, a team from the University of Tennessee Knoxville and University of Tennessee Chattanooga provided a unique demonstration of EV charger analytics to inform infrastructure deployment. Panelists Dr. Mina Sartipi (Executive Director, TN-Chattanooga Research Institute, UTC), Jennifer Fritts, Director of Advancement Engineering & Technology, UTC), Medhi Khaleghian (PhD Candidate, UTC) and Victoria Hirschberg (AVP of Research, Outreach & Economic Development, UTK) presented updated information about the current distribution and adoption of EVs and EV chargers throughout the Valley in collaboration with the Fast Charge Network TN initiative. The initiative began in 2022 and has a goal of funding the installation of a network of fast charging stations every 50 miles along Tennessee’s interstates and major highways. According to the panelists, there are now over 61,000 EVs on U.S. highways which represents a 40% increase year over year. In March 2023, there were 14 fast charger stations online, at 8 different sites; of those, 14 were in TN. Today, we are receiving data from 90 fast charger stations at 41 different sites across the Valley. Each charging station is operating and sending data about utilization and demand to analysts. Together with other chargers Seven States has installed since 2018, the UTC research team analyzed data from 120 charging stations across the Seven States footprint. This information helped the team understand current EV charger utilization, behaviors of EV drivers, predict emerging utilization patterns, and measure location-based greenhouse gas savings on the Valley’s generation mix. Seven States’ very own Joe Knox is at the forefront of this collaboration. His work with UTC’s team has resulted in a published paper on EV data trends in the Valley. This project is an example of Seven States moving beyond the delivery of technology, and developing a data driven understanding of how to optimize innovation that meets the emerging demands for energy supply. For more information on the UTC Research Institute click here.

For more than 15 years, Seven States has been immersed in the emerging needs of the energy industry and the evolving supply of energy to the region. Seven States was created in partnership with TVA and more than 150 local power companies to finance utility-scale generation assets. In the early years, Seven States and TVA jointly owned an 800MW combined cycle plant in Southaven, Mississippi. More recently, Seven States was proud to announce that it had been awarded a $439,000,000 investment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New ERA program to build 250MW of low-cost energy using a zero-interest loan. The shovel-ready project will bring online 250MW and help ease the State of Energy Emergency. The solar plant, owned and operated by Seven States, will deliver energy across the region to TN, AL, GA, MS, KY, NC, VA, and will power approximately 113,000 homes while creating over 100 construction jobs. The project continues to garner support from local, state and federal officials and is part of an “all of the above” approach to deliver power to consumers. This federal funding will provide our region with much-needed low-cost energy used by residents and businesses throughout the Valley. The Seven States team has been hard at work with our local power company member-owners to develop energy supply strategies that reach beyond this one project. This highlights our dedication to bring multiple energy sources to the grid. Over the years, our work has expanded beyond utility-scale generation to include distribution-scale technologies. We are enhancing reliability through the installation of battery storage units at regional locations such as the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and Montgomery Bell State Park in Burns, Tennessee. Seven States, a G&T cooperative, was created out of the need for innovative solutions. The awarded project is just one example of the innovative thinking and decisive action necessary to tackle the energy challenges of our time. We understand that economic development and job creation stop without power supply. Together with our public power model stakeholders, we intend to “ready the region” and respond to the increase in demand with additional power supply. An opportunity of this magnitude will drive our ability to attract and retain innovative businesses to the region and be a flagship model to the rest of the nation. This opportunity is significant for the region and we encourage you to learn more about the project here. We want to thank the Seven States Board of Directors and our partners for leading boldly to advocate for the USDA funding to supply much needed low-cost energy to consumers across the region. Your support demonstrates how everyone wins when we take innovative action to deliver power to those we serve.

At Seven States, we take pride in fostering innovation and supporting employees who are building the grid of the future. Joe Knox, our Director of Technology Deployment, recently contributed to a research paper on the future of electric vehicle (EV) chargers. His expertise and dedication are helping shape transportation infrastructure and manage additional demand for energy. As the demand for EVs continues to grow, the need for efficient, reliable, and accessible charging infrastructure is more critical than ever. Knox contributed to the work of PhD candidate Mehdi Khaleghian of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Knox served as a key industry expert by providing EV charging data for the project. Together, they explored methods to better predict charging station outcomes, which will benefit EV drivers, station owners, and electric utility operators. To date, Seven States has installed more than 250 EV charging stations across 6 different states – that’s nearly 500 EV charging ports in under 4 years. The research paper focuses on the data gleaned from EV charging installations and will inform the collective work of experts within the EV sector as they move forward in building a dynamic power grid. Specifically, the paper explores using embedding vectors to capture the latent characteristics of EV charging stations based on user-station interactions. These factors help improve predictive tasks such as utilization forecasting and infrastructure planning through the use of Machine Learning Models. “Working on this project was an exciting opportunity to contribute to the future of EV charging,” said Knox. “We explored ways to make charging faster, more efficient, and better integrated with the grid. It’s rewarding to see how our research can shape real-world solutions.” As we continue to manage the transition to electric mobility and the infrastructure to support it, real-time analytics from actual deployments lead to data driven decisions, thereby removing the guesswork from next steps. Knox’s contributions demonstrate the power of collaboration and innovation in tackling the challenges of tomorrow. We’re proud to have such forward-thinking minds on our team, driving progress and making a lasting impact on the energy industry. To view Seven States’ EV charging deployments, visit our interactive map.

Seven States is excited to introduce a new product: Reliability as a Service. Under this new offering, Seven States will acquire battery storage systems and natural gas generators, and provide the capacity to LPCs and their customers. These distribution assets will be used locally for demand response, outage mitigation, and operations, while Seven States will build the capabilities to aggregate the capacity for utility scale benefits. Through its partnership with CAT/Stowers, Seven States is the only Stowers reseller in the region and, as such, can provide special pricing on Caterpillar backup generators to LPC members. Seven States will work with each LPC to analyze energy usage and the economics of a potential system, and support for acquiring it. Two options are available: Seven States will procure, own and install the unit, making the capacity and operation of the unit available to the LPC under an agreement. If the LPC prefers to own the unit, Seven States will provide turnkey project management services to the LPC. We kicked off the launch of Reliability as a Service at our 2024 Annual Meeting with the dedication of a new 150kW – 2hr battery storage system installed at the Montgomery Bell State Park Visitor Center in Burns, TN. Seven States owns the battery and provides the capacity to Dickson Electric System who operates it, and the State of Tennessee hosts the site. Learn more by clicking here. Our goal for this program is to add distributed energy resources (DERs) to local power grids. This offering is optimal for behind-the-meter and front-of-the-meter generation, supplemental power for data centers, and grid optimization. The versatility of the resource is its greatest strength. With Seven States’ Reliability as a Service, LPCs now have a path for quickly meeting increased local demand and operational requirements. The battery storage system and natural gas generators can provide immediate relief to the grid by: Offsetting capacity constraints Reducing wholesale demand charges Enhancing reliability and resiliency Seven States is well-positioned to deploy these solutions. As a non-profit that exists to deliver affordable and reliable solutions that benefit LPCs and their customers, we can leverage opportunities within the marketplace effectively and efficiently to reduce the costs related to installing battery storage systems and natural gas generators. To get started on your Reliability project, contact Lance Irwin at lirwin@7spc.com 

CHATTANOOGA, TN – January 10, 2025 – Seven States Power Corporation (Seven States) is proud to announce that it will receive $439,000,000 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New ERA (Empowering Rural America) program. The funding is earmarked for new energy initiatives, and this award will provide low-cost affordable power to nearly 10 million people. Seven States is an energy solutions cooperative that is owned and operated by the 153 local power companies across the seven state region of the Tennessee Valley (TN, KY, MS, AL, VA, NC, GA). Their member-owners distribute TVA-generated electricity and provide a variety of essential services that build the economy and enhance life in their communities. Seven States is one of three organizations spotlighted by the USDA for their proposed project. The full announcement can be found here. Funding for projects through this initiative will focus on utility-scale new energy resources such as solar generation and energy storage technologies. These investments are part of an ongoing industry-wide effort to enhance the grid with energy technologies to meet increasing demand for power. A primary advantage to our region is the public power model and the partnership between the power distributors and their power provider, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). One such project would add more than 250MWs of energy through the construction of a utility-scale solar plant in the Tennessee Valley. The plant will be owned and operated by Seven States. Jeff Dykes, Chairman of the Board of Seven States and President & CEO of BrightRidge, said, “Procuring these resources is a big step in the right direction for advancing Seven States’ mission to leverage innovative technology to design, develop & deploy energy solutions for the Tennessee Valley. An award of this size and magnitude is significant for our region and we are thankful for the opportunity it presents.” Betsey Kirk McCall, President & CEO of Seven States, expressed excitement about the grant’s impact, stating, “The New ERA program is an incredible opportunity for Seven States, our power distributor members, and TVA to work together in bringing low-cost power to the Tennessee Valley. The 250MWs of additional power will support the growing needs of the region to meet consumer demand for technology and energy.” Seven States is committed to working closely with local communities, energy providers, and policymakers to ensure a reliable energy future. The projects supported by the New ERA grant are expected to create new jobs, stimulate economic growth, and generate energy. The new solar generation is expected to take up to three to five years to finalize the design, develop and deploy all aspects of the projects. Once active, it is anticipated that this project will facilitate a higher degree of reliability and resiliency to the existing energy grid and assist in meeting increased demand as the Tennessee Valley region continues to experience growth in population and economic development.

Nearly two years ago, Seven States teamed up with Nissan, Middle Tennessee Electric, and the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute, to launch an innovative second-life battery storage project. Seven States became an early partner to the project and will use data collected throughout the process to inform how to design, develop, and deploy BESS options to scale throughout the Valley. The university researchers on the project, led by UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Electrical Energy Conversion and Storage Tom Zawodzinski, is taking a deep dive into the varied uses for EV batteries past their point of optimum performance. By investigating the composition, movement, and degree of degradation of the batteries, the team intends to optimize the second use power supply to provide power during peak demand. On November 18th, 2024, Joe Knox spoke on behalf of Seven States at Nissan’s “BESS Peak Shave & Microgrid Kick-Off and Ribbon Cutting” ceremony. Seven States is proud to serve as a partner and advisor for Nissan and looks forward to continuing the work. This collaboration is sure to have an important and lasting impact on the future of the grid. To learn more about the project click here.

MATHISTON, Miss. (WCBI) – Travelers along Highway 82 and The Natchez Trace Parkway will now have a new refueling option. 4 County Electric Power Association has teamed up with the Tennessee Valley Authority and S and S Shell in Mathison to install the utility’s first Electric Vehicle Charging Station. TVA is trying to reduce “range anxiety” for EV owners across its service area by working with partners to reduce the distance between charging stations. The junction of 2 well-travelled highways made Mathiston a good location for 4 County to get into the charging market. “So, TVA came to us a couple of years ago and said, ‘Hey look, we want to fix range anxiety for electric vehicle across the Tennessee Valley’, and they offered us some grant money. We partnered with them to build this fast charger. What you see here is the most powerful fast charger in the Tennessee Valley footprint as of today, here in 4 County Electric Power Association and Mathiston, Mississippi,” said Brian Clark, CEO of 4 County EPA. The S and S site in Mathiston has 4 chargers available.

Driven by economic growth, increased electrification, and ambitious renewable energy targets, demand for electricity has surged, but the supply has been challenged with aging infrastructure and evolving regulations. Luckily, at Seven States, we have a lot of great minds working together to proactively address this challenge. Moreover, we are ramping up our rollout of battery energy storage solutions and backup generation in an effort to achieve 300MW of additional aggregate capacity across the Valley. We recently had the opportunity to gain insight on this important issue from industry expert and incoming Seven States board member, Erin Gill. Gill currently serves as Vice President of Sustainability & Government Relations at Knoxville Utilities Board. As she assumes a role on the Seven States Board of Directors, we asked her to reflect on a few questions about Seven States’ Reliability as a Service as we close out 2024 and look forward to 2025. Why do you think it’s important to focus on Reliability Services, specifically Battery Energy Storage Solutions (BESS), at this point in time? Battery storage is increasingly emerging as a critical resource for local power companies aiming to enhance energy reliability, especially during peak demand periods. By deploying battery storage systems, local power companies can manage fluctuations in electricity demand more effectively, store excess energy generated during low-demand periods, and release it when demand surges. This not only helps stabilize the grid but also reduces the need for expensive peak power purchases. Battery energy storage solutions also allow local power companies to improve resilience by maintaining service during outages or disruptions, which is especially valuable in regions prone to extreme weather events or grid vulnerabilities. Is it possible to scale this solution and, if so, what does that mean for how we build and connect to the grid of the future? As battery technology advances, scalability becomes more achievable, making it a viable option for power companies of all sizes. Implementing battery storage solutions can also support the integration of renewable energy sources, such as solar, by storing intermittent energy and providing a reliable backup when these sources are not actively generating. This synergy between battery storage and renewables enables local power companies to expand clean energy use without compromising on stability or reliability. Moreover, battery storage offers long-term cost-saving potential by reducing dependence on non-renewable peaking plants and minimizing transmission losses, ultimately benefiting both utilities and customers with cleaner, more stable energy options. What role is Seven States playing in designing, developing, and deploying these technologies into the energy ecosystem? It was exciting to see the BESS unit installed at Montgomery Bell State Park during our Annual Meeting. This unit, and others like it, demonstrate what is possible as we connect these solutions to the grid. Building on the efforts of early projects like EV chargers, solar canopies, solar consulting, and microgrids, Seven States is using what they have learned to grow and scale these solutions faster. At KUB, we’ve appreciated Seven States’ support for several local efforts to adopt new types of technologies and meet the needs of our customers today with an eye toward the future. Do you have any closing thoughts about what NOT developing and deploying these technologies means to the energy industry? Energy technologies and customer needs are evolving rapidly, and electric utilities in the Valley must be ready to incorporate new practices and technologies in order to ensure we can continue to meet growing demand while keeping energy services affordable and reliable. Renewable energy, battery storage, demand response, and other distributed energy resources aren’t just “nice to haves.” Utilized strategically, these resources can be cheaper and more nimble than more traditional energy resources. By using them wisely, LPCs can help keep energy affordable while providing ancillary benefits for local infrastructure and for utility customers. It is for all of these reasons that Seven States plays a vital role at a critical juncture. The work they do allows LPCs to work simultaneous paths to efficient and effective solutions. Their partnership in the industry will help us all “keep the lights on.”

Seven States is proud to announce an important next step in providing sustainable power generation to energy consumers in the Valley. Since 2019, CAT/Stowers and Seven States have been partnering to supply backup generators throughout the region. These units offer Natural Gas (NG) prime power backup generation for sizes 750kW – 2.5MW. To date, Seven States is the only entity to have a reseller agreement with Stowers in the region. They are now excited to share that, as of September 2024, an enhanced partnership will extend specially negotiated pricing for the generators to Seven States member LPCs. This discount can only be accessed through partnership with Seven States. The shared goal between CAT/Stowers and Seven States is to cultivate a more reliable demand response environment for energy providers and diversify power supply options to high demand times. To inquire about how to take advantage of this special offer click here.

During the 2024 Seven States Annual Meeting in October, a team from the University of Tennessee Knoxville and University of Tennessee Chattanooga provided a unique demonstration of EV charger analytics to inform infrastructure deployment. Panelists Dr. Mina Sartipi (Executive Director, TN-Chattanooga Research Institute, UTC), Jennifer Fritts, Director of Advancement Engineering & Technology, UTC), Medhi Khaleghian (PhD Candidate, UTC) and Victoria Hirschberg (AVP of Research, Outreach & Economic Development, UTK) presented updated information about the current distribution and adoption of EVs and EV chargers throughout the Valley in collaboration with the Fast Charge Network TN initiative. The initiative began in 2022 and has a goal of funding the installation of a network of fast charging stations every 50 miles along Tennessee’s interstates and major highways. According to the panelists, there are now over 61,000 EVs on U.S. highways which represents a 40% increase year over year. In March 2023, there were 14 fast charger stations online, at 8 different sites; of those, 14 were in TN. Today, we are receiving data from 90 fast charger stations at 41 different sites across the Valley. Each charging station is operating and sending data about utilization and demand to analysts. Together with other chargers Seven States has installed since 2018, the UTC research team analyzed data from 120 charging stations across the Seven States footprint. This information helped the team understand current EV charger utilization, behaviors of EV drivers, predict emerging utilization patterns, and measure location-based greenhouse gas savings on the Valley’s generation mix. Seven States’ very own Joe Knox is at the forefront of this collaboration. His work with UTC’s team has resulted in a published paper on EV data trends in the Valley. This project is an example of Seven States moving beyond the delivery of technology, and developing a data driven understanding of how to optimize innovation that meets the emerging demands for energy supply. For more information on the UTC Research Institute click here.