Energy Savings for Tennessee

Tennessee’s electricity customers are in a unique situation in that much of their power is generated by one entity, the Tennessee Valley Authority, who does not sell it directly to the end-use customers. Instead, TVA sells it to distributor utilities such as cities, towns and rural electric cooperatives, and those utilities re-sell it to residents and businesses.

Many of the “distributor utilities” in Tennessee are electric cooperatives. Customers of electric cooperatives are actually “members” who have equal shares in the utility, meaning they have a voice in how the cooperative operates and what programs it offers.

Energy efficiency is one way that residents can reduce their use of electricity and save money. By adding insulation, improving air duct sealing and other measures, energy efficiency upgrades can lower electric bills by up to 40 percent. However, the high upfront cost of upgrades remains a barrier for many residents.

Appalachian Voices is currently working with Tennessee state officials to explore the design of a state-wide on-bill financing program, a debt-free program wherein the utility would cover the up-front costs of energy efficiency upgrades.

With on-bill financing residents would see immediate savings on their electric bill and a portion of the savings would go back to the utility company each month to pay for the upgrades (hence the name “on-bill” financing). We will be working with electric cooperatives in East Tennessee to join this program.

• Learn more about on-bill financing here

Get Involved

Help us help families in Tennessee lower their energy bills and improve the comfort and value of their homes, support the local economy and reduce our community’s impact on the environment. Contact Amy Kelly, Tennessee Energy Savings Outreach Coordinator to get involved today, at [email protected].

Protecting the Central and Southern Appalachian Mountain Region