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Co-op leaders have productive visits with D.C. lawmakers

NASHVILLE – More than 60 co-op leaders from across Tennessee traveled to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 10 and 11, to meet with members of the Tennessee congressional delegation as a part of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s annual legislative conference.

“This trip is about building relationships,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “When lawmakers evaluate legislation that impacts electric co-ops or rural Tennessee, we want them to think of us. It is important for them to know who we are and how policy will affect us and our consumers.”

In meetings with legislators, co-ops leaders encouraged lawmakers to support the Farm Bill and rural development programs, reject the administration’s proposal to sell TVA’s transmission assets and dedicate funding for rural broadband and other infrastructure projects. Lawmakers were also invited to visit their local co-ops to meet employees, attend annual meetings or tour co-op facilities.

Meetings were held with Senators Alexander and Corker and Representatives Black, Blackburn, DesJarlais, Duncan, Fleischmann, Roe and Kustoff.

“I’m a big supporter of rural areas, and I thank you for coming up to give a voice to the people you serve,” said Rep. Diane Black. “A lot of people never make it to visit legislators in Nashville, and certainly not to Washington, D.C. It’s important for their issues to be heard, and I appreciate what you do.”

In addition to visits with members of Congress, attendees also heard from industry and policy experts, including U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Purdue. During a speech to co-op leaders, Secretary Purdue discussed the importance of rural broadband and highlighted the successes of Tennessee’s electric co-ops. “Rural broadband is not just a luxury — it’s essential,” said Purdue. “Tennessee recently changed state law, and now seven of their electric co-ops are pursuing broadband. I don’t believe that America would ever reach the productivity we have today across our nation without abundant flow of electricity everywhere. In the same way, we cannot make America great again without high-speed e-connectivity available to every American.”

 

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Electric co-ops celebrate life and service of Dan Smith

NASHVILLE – Dan Smith, a leader among Tennessee’s electric cooperatives, passed away on Wednesday, April 11, 2018. Smith was a board member for Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation in Murfreesboro and served on the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association board of trustees.

Smith is remembered as a passionate advocate for cooperatives and rural Tennessee. A board member for Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation for almost 50 years, Smith served in multiple capacities for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association in recent years, including board president.

“Dan Smith left a mark on rural Tennessee,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “He was a statesman who worked tirelessly to support cooperatives and other rural interests. His influence and service will be missed.”

“This news hurts, as we had hoped earnestly Mr. Smith would recover from this recent illness,” said Chris Jones, president and CEO of Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation. “Our beloved Mr. Smith, leaves behind an unmatched and irreplaceable legacy, as no one loved the cooperative way more than Dan Smith. Middle Tennessee Electric and its employees past and present have lost a great champion for our cause. I will miss him greatly.”

Dan Smith speaking to delegates to the 2017 TECA Annual Meeting in Nashville.

 

Dan Smith and wife Vondie

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National Lineman Appreciation Day

NASHVILLE – There are more than 700 electric co-op lineworkers in Tennessee, and on Monday, April 9, we pause to honor their service to the state’s rural and suburban communities on National Lineman Appreciation Day. Tennessee’s electric co-ops extend our sincerest gratitude to the hardworking men and women who keep the power on and protect the public’s safety.

“We honor the dedicated service of these courageous Tennesseans and recognize the critical roles they play in keeping the lights on,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Our communities depend on reliable energy, and Tennessee’s electric lineworkers place themselves in harm’s way to power our everyday lives.”

Electric co-ops maintain more than 86,000 miles of power line and keep the lights on more than 99.96 percent of the time.

“These are special people who are passionate about their jobs and the communities they serve,” says Callis. “They go above and beyond, and all of us in this industry are honored to work with them.”

You can help Tennessee’s electric cooperatives honor lineman by posting on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #ThankAlineman.

 

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Put down the shovel and pick up the phone

Spring is finally here! With the snow melted and the ground ready for planting, eager homeowners like you are gearing up to start those outdoor digging projects. Before you reach for that shovel to start digging, remember to call 811, the Tennessee’s call-before-you-dig number, to ensure that your buried utility lines are marked.

April is National Safe Digging Month, and Tennessee’s electric cooperatives want to remind our members that a complex network of pipelines, wires and cables lies just underground. Striking an underground utility line while digging can cause harm to you or those around you, disrupt service to an entire neighborhood and potentially result in fines and repair costs.

A call should be placed to 811 before every digging project, from simple landscaping projects like planting trees or shrubs, to building a deck or installing a rural mailbox. Every nine minutes an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first calling 811. Don’t become part of the statistic – make sure to call 811!

Here’s how it works:

  • One free, simple phone call to 811 makes it easy for Tennessee 811 to notify all appropriate utility companies of your intent to dig.
  • Call at least a few days prior to digging to ensure enough time for utility lines to be properly marked.
  • When you call 811, a representative from Tennessee 811 will ask for the location and description of your digging project.
  • Tennessee 811 will notify affected utility companies, like your local electric cooperative, who will then each send a professional locator to the proposed dig site to mark the approximate location of your lines.
  • Once lines have been properly marked, roll up those sleeves and carefully dig around the marked areas.
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