Somerville, TENN. – On July 1, Loyd Muncy became Chickasaw Electric Cooperative’s fifth general manager. Muncy replaces John Collins who announced his retirement in 2019.
Muncy, a 30-year veteran of the cooperative, has served in many capacities while at the cooperative including engineering supervisor, IT manager, project manager, and manager of finance and administration.
Muncy was drawn to the position because he has been involved with management and policies at the cooperative for several years, and he likes the direction the cooperative is headed. “Plus, it is pretty much the only title I have not held at the co-op,” he added. Muncy says his favorite cooperative principle is “Cooperation among Cooperatives,” and he believes there is great value in the co-op network that allows co-ops to solve problems together and learn from one another.
“I have always appreciated and respected the wise counsel of John Collins,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of TECA. “We salute him for an exceptional career and wish him a wonderful retirement. The TECA team also congratulates Loyd and looks forward to working with him as he leads a great co-op.”
Murfreesboro, TENN. – The merger between the Murfreesboro Electric Department (MED) and Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) became official and finalized today.
“Now we begin bringing our two great teams together for the benefit of all those we serve,” said Chris Jones, MTE’s president and CEO. “While we’ve been preparing for some time, now it is real, and we are thankful and excited.”
Upon completion of TVA’s regulatory review and approval, which came in early June, MTE, MED and the City of Murfreesboro have coordinated efforts to close the transaction over the past few weeks. Closing was completed June 30, making July 1 the first official day that the two utilities are now one.
“There are a number of efficiencies and synergies our coming together will realize,” Jones said. “We are merging our technology platforms, unifying processes and over time we will reduce duplication of effort and investments.”
Jones added that MED customers, now new MTE members, can look for information and updates via U.S. mail and at mtemc.com beginning the week of July 6.
“Our teams are working hard to ensure the transition goes smoothly,” he said. “Most MED customers should not notice any changes. ”
The 111th General Assembly completed its final order of business for the year in the early morning hours Friday, June 19, after a marathon through-the-night session. The final hours were marked with plenty of disagreement between political parties and the two chambers.
The final act was headlined by a $39.4 billion budget that replaced and further trimmed one the legislature approved in March. The scaled back spending plan anticipates a $1 billion shortfall in fiscal year 2021 and, following a “stalemate” between the two chambers, eventually cleared the impasse in a conference committee.
The new budget closely resembled the one proposed by the governor and approved by the senate last week, reducing expenses for a number of priorities initially proposed by Governor Lee. That, of course, was before the state was physically and financially rocked by two devastating tornadoes and the COVID-19 pandemic. Below are a few notable cuts to the administration’s original list of priorities:
reducing the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Grant Fund from $25 million to $15 million;
eliminating pay raises for teachers, state employees and legislators; and
reducing funding for capital maintenance projects for state-owned properties and higher education, including $37 million worth of projects at the University of Tennessee and $9 million at the University of Memphis.
“Safe Harbor and Recovery Act” Stalls
A bill designed to encourage and stimulate economic activity, by increasing civil liability protection against coronavirus lawsuits against essential businesses and others that reopen amid COVID-19 uncertainty, stalled in the early hours Friday. Despite support from a broad coalition of interests representing business, healthcare, and education industry, the “Tennessee Recovery and Safe Harbor Act” ultimately failed because republicans in the two chambers vehemently disagreed on the legislation’s effective date.
Senate Republicans and industry supporters favored retroactive application of the legislation that dated back to early March. House members and opponents, including the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, fought hard against retroactivity and questioned the provision’s constitutionality. Notably, both sides relied on a 2010 opinion by former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice William Koch that addressed the constitutionality of retrospective laws in Tennessee.
Ultimately, Republicans in the two chambers held their ground following a conference committee that adopted the senate version. After a bipartisan attack on the bill’s retroactive application, the house fell four votes short of approving the conference committee report.
Co-op Priority Passes Both Chambers
Despite the last minute budget changes and acrimony caused by controversial legislation, the General Assembly did pass legislation clarifying that electric cooperatives may purchase the Powering Tennessee specialty license plate. Sponsored by Rep. Gary Hicks (R-Rogersville) and Sen Becky Massey (R-Knoxville), the bill was passed unanimously by both the House and Senate. Effective immediately upon the Governor’s signature (which is expected in the coming days), the law ensures that electric co-op vehicles weighing less that 9000 pounds and used for the purpose of passenger transport are eligible to purchase the plate. Proceeds benefit the Tennessee Lineworker Lifeline Fund, and each plate driving on Tennessee roads increases awareness of the important work performed by Tennessee’s 3,500 lineworkers.
MURFREESBORO, TN – The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has approved the proposed merger between the Murfreesboro Electric Department (MED) and Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE), it was announced today.
“This represents the coming together of two excellent electric utilities that have coexisted very well in Murfreesboro for the past 80 years. We’re confident the result will be an even stronger entity with increased effectiveness for strengthening our mission of providing safe, reliable and low-cost services to all customers,” said Chris Jones, MTE’s president and CEO. “We would like to thank the City of Murfreesboro, its mayor and city council, the city management team, and our colleagues at Murfreesboro Electric for all of the collaboration and support. And we thank TVA for its very thorough examination and analysis of this opportunity.”
While MTE and the City will work to sign closing documents in the coming days, TVA’s regulatory review and approval was the last step needed to finalize the merger. The regulatory review process was required to determine if the transaction created value for all ratepayers, since TVA supplies wholesale electric power to both not-for-profit distributors and has oversight over such transactions, Jones said.
“The review concluded that this transaction is in the best interest of the affected ratepayers, and upholds our mission to serve the people of the Valley,” said Dan Pratt, TVA vice president of customer delivery. “It aligns with the values and principles of the Valley Public Power Model and reinforces our primary Regulatory role in protecting Valley ratepayers.”
As previously reported, MTE will pay $245 million for MED. With interest, the total payment will be $302 million over 15 years.
“MTE is an exceptional organization with incredibly strong leadership. The future benefits of the combined electric system to the ratepayers and the citizens of Murfreesboro are tremendous,” said Mayor Shane McFarland.
On again, off again talks of a possible merger were renewed in late 2018 when the city approached MTE about the possibility. Throughout last year, efforts to move toward that end culminated in the fall with a series of City Council workshops and listening sessions, meetings with employees and other stakeholders, a citywide open house, and a series of council votes ending in approval by the city in January of this year. Following unanimous approval from the MTE board, the paperwork for the TVA regulatory review was sent, also in January.
About Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation (MTE)
Founded in 1936, Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation is the largest electric co-op in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) region and among the five largest in the U.S., serving more than 500,000 Tennesseans via 236,000+ accounts covering 2,100 square miles in 11 Middle Tennessee counties, primarily Rutherford, Cannon, Williamson, and Wilson counties. Municipalities served include Franklin, Smyrna, Lavergne, Lebanon and Mt. Juliet. MTE employs 420 people in 6 local offices and its Murfreesboro corporate headquarters.
About the Murfreesboro Electric Department (MED)
The Murfreesboro Electric Department has served the city and the surrounding area since 1939, covering approximately 55 square miles via 67,000 accounts and an estimated 136,000 residents. Like MTE, MED operates under a contract with The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a corporate agency of the federal government. The TVA provides all electricity distributed by MED to its 67,000 customers. The Electric Department has approximately 90 employees, all located in downtown Murfreesboro.
https://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2019-Control-Room-August-1-scaled.jpg8441500Trent Scotthttps://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TECA-logo-full-light.pngTrent Scott2020-06-09 11:53:362020-06-10 12:02:16Murfreesboro Electric merger with Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Cooperative approved by TVA
Nashville — Thanks to the incredible generosity of co-ops, employees and industry partners, more than $70,000 has been contributed as of the end of May to the Electric Co-op Employee Emergency Assistance Fund.
Four electric co-op employees lost their homes — and one nearly lost her life — as two devastating tornadoes tore through Middle Tennessee on the morning of March 3. TECA and Tennessee’s electric co-ops established the fund to assist these employees.
“My husband and I are forever grateful for the grant money that was gifted to us,” says Jessica Reed, a member service representative with Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation who was seriously injured in the storm. “It has provided us peace of mind during this trying time and is allowing us to recover and heal without the added stress of unforeseen expenses that inevitably arise. We feel truly blessed to be alive and humbled by the overwhelming generosity of so many.”
“Team MTE had three employees affected by the Wilson County tornado,” says Chris Jones, president of Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation. “We’re blessed to have them with us and thankful for the funds donated through TECA to help them recover from the storm’s destruction. Because of the funds provided, our employees could focus more on their families when they needed to most. The kind words and thoughtful actions of our sister utilities show that our cooperative family extends beyond Team MTE and the service territory we serve. On behalf of MTE employees and members, thank you to all who have donated to TECA’s Electric Co-op Employee Emergency Assistance Fund.”
“I had the opportunity to visit with Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation’s injured employee just a few days after the storm,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “She was moved to tears when we presented her with the first check from the fund. Thanks to the support of our industry, she and the others impacted by the storms are in the process of recovering and rebuilding.”
“We work in a great industry,” said Callis. “I hope you share my sense of pride in the important work we do each day and the way we care for our own.”
Not unlike other American businesses and institutions, our Federal and state legislative bodies have been working to adapt to the “new normal” that coronavirus has created. While Congress has continued to meet sporadically throughout this period of social distancing, sometimes even voting by utilizing unanimous consent procedures, the State Legislature recessed in Mid-march and put all of its work on hold.
Importantly for cooperatives, the Congress has created several new programs to help those impacted by COVID-19.
The CARES Act provided an additional $900M of funding for the LIHEAP program, which provides direct cash payments to help individuals pay their energy bills. These funds are ultimately administered through local non-profits or government agencies. To see which agencies serve your communities, click here. If your cooperative is experiencing an increase in late payments, underpayments, or non payment of bills we encourage you to proactively reach out to your affected members and provide contact information for these local LIHEAP agencies.
An additional creation of the CARES Act was the Paycheck Protection Program. This new initiative of the Small Business Administration was established to allow certain businesses to access low-interest loans that would allow their business to continue operating and paying employees despite economic uncertainty. If the money is used for payroll, rent/mortgage, and utility expenses then the loan can be forgiven – essentially turning the loan into a grant.
Congress has allocated over $600 billion to this program. As of this writing, approximately $100B remains available for affected parties. If your cooperative is working with commercial and industrial customers who have been affected by the pandemic, this program is a excellent resource to ensure they have available funds to pay their electric bill.
Conversation in Washington now centers around whether or not Congress will enact additional relief or economic stimulus in response to COVID-19. The House of Representatives passed the HEROES Act on May 15, which would allocate an additional $3 Trillion to both existing and new relief-oriented programs. However, the Senate is unlikely to approve this specific legislation and negotiations about any potential compromise have been slow to begin.
NRECA is working with lawmakers to address several priorities in the next bill, should one come to fruition. Those priorities include not enacting a nationwide moratorium on disconnects due to nonpayment of bills, reduction of interest rates and expanded lending from the Rural Utility Service, additional Federal assistance to assist with end user payment of energy bills, broadband funding and FEMA assistance for disaster response.
Back in Nashville, the legislature is returning from its recess this week to complete its session and adjourn for the year. While the House and the Senate are taking differing approaches to this final run to the finish line, it is highly unlikely that any legislation that TECA was working to promote or oppose will be considered before adjournment. Most Capitol watchers seem to believe that several cuts to the previously approved budget for next year will be enacted and the session will then conclude.
Governor Lee has been exercising additional power and authority under the declared state of emergency, and co-ops rightly continue to be classified as essential businesses. This allows our continued operation during the various levels of stay at home orders and business closures of the past several months.
A recent change to a state program to assist with childcare for essential workers was positive for cooperatives. The COVID-19 Essential Employee Child Care Payment Assistance Program will provide payments directly to child care providers so that essential workers can remain on the job. Utility employees were initially left of the list of eligible employee categories, but Governor Lee recently announced a change. To learn more, please click here (https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/covid-19/child-care-services-and-covid-19.html).
It seems that we have veered from one calamity to the next this year; tornadoes to a derecho, topped off with a pandemic. Still to come: murder hornets and a potentially active hurricane season.
Throughout this new pandemic reality, you’ve taken extreme measures to protect your employees so they could do what they do best – keep the lights on. The service that we provide is critically important for Tennessee homes, businesses, and hospitals – even more so during this period. The damage from multiple storms and the ongoing impact of the pandemic has made this a challenging year, but our co-ops have risen to the challenge and served their communities with compassion and pride.
Backing up the co-ops in accomplishing those goals is the staff here at The Tennessee Magazine and TECA. Our team is dedicated to supporting Tennessee’s electric cooperatives in a variety of ways: youth programs, safety training, employee education, communications, community outreach, government relations, and economic development – anything that helps your cooperative better serve your consumers and communities.
Our staff, based primarily in Nashville, last met as a group on March 16th for lunch – properly separated from each other in the early days of the pandemic. Since then, we have worked mostly from home over the next two months, keeping in touch remotely with our co-ops, elected officials, the media and each other. We’ve adjusted to balancing our work responsibilities with our family responsibilities.
I appreciate the work they do and their ability to adjust to this new reality. Mostly, I admire their dedication to the job they do every day – assisting Tennessee’s co-ops and advocating for Tennessee’s rural and suburban communities.
It is unclear what the coming weeks, months or years will hold, but I am absolutely confident that co-ops will be there – serving their communities, leading with compassion and trying each day to do the right thing.
https://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ck_20200303_3052-scaled.jpg10001500David Callishttps://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TECA-logo-full-light.pngDavid Callis2020-05-27 12:18:092020-05-29 14:48:22The Power to be Resilient
NASHVILLE,
Tenn. – To safeguard against COVID-19, and the spread of the 2019 novel
coronavirus, the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association is
rescheduling the 2020 Youth Leadership Summit for Monday, July 20 – Wednesday, July 22.
Two factors played into this decision.
The safety and well-being of the students in our care is our ultimate priority.
Public health officials are still learning about COVID-19. The majority
of confirmed cases in Tennessee have been diagnosed in the Nashville
region, and the trip places students in very public places where we are
unable to control student interaction with others.
Electric co-op employees are stewards of critical infrastructure.
Spread of the illness among co-op employees represents a real threat to
the communities we serve. We have a heightened responsibility to
protect the health and well-being of our workforce.
Earlier
today, Gov. Lee declared a state of emergency in Tennessee due to the
growing threat posed by COVID-19. In the past 24 hours, a number of high
profile closures and cancellations have been announced, including
in-person classes for the University of Tennessee system and Vanderbilt
University. Like the decisions made by these institutions, postponing
the 2020 Youth Leadership Summit is a proactive step to limit the spread
of the virus.
“This
is a difficult decision to make because the Youth Leadership Summit is a
unique opportunity to educate young Tennesseans about leadership,
public policy and cooperatives,” says David Callis, executive vice
president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative
Association. “I sincerely hope we can look back on this as an
unnecessary precaution, but our utmost responsibility is the safety of
our delegates, employees and chaperones.”
UPDATED | NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Recovery efforts continue across Middle Tennessee today following a strong tornado that ripped through the area early Tuesday morning.
Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation and Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation suffered heavy damage to their systems. Storms also caused minor damage to Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative and Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation.
UCEMC’s Cookeville office
Today, MTEMC has fewer than 2,000 consumer-members without power. Crews have restored power to more than 45,000 since the storm originally hit. MTEMC estimates that more than 250 poles were broken during the storm. MTEMC is being assisted by crews from Caney Fork Electric Cooperative, Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation, Duck River Electric Cooperative and Fayetteville Public Utilities.
Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation has approximately 2,200 consumer-members without power. More than 12,000 have had their power restored since the storm originally hit. UCEMC’s Cookeville district office was heavily damaged in the storm. Crews from Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation are assisting UCEMC today.
An employee of UCEMC and her husband were injured when the storm destroyed their home. The employee is recovering following surgery. Some MTEMC employees also lost homes and experienced property damage.
The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association has established a fund to assist employees of electric co-ops who who were injured or experienced property damage during the storm. Visit tnelectric.org/give or contact Amy Jordan at TECA for more details.
In the midst of their own recovery efforts, employees from MTEMC had the co-op’s food truck, the Electric Griddle, in Mt. Juliet on Wednesday, preparing grilled cheese sandwiches for first responders, clean-up crews, volunteers and restoration crews.
MTEMC employee Tim Sudds serves hot food to first responders in Mt. Juliet following a major tornado in Tuesday morning.
“Many Tennessee communities experienced extreme damage and loss this week,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We have also seen co-ops rally to serve their communities and neighboring cooperatives. Co-op people are the best people, and it is an honor to watch these community servants do what they do best.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A strong tornado moved through Nashville and parts of middle Tennessee overnight leaving significant damage in its wake.
Several middle Tennessee co-ops are reporting outages this morning, including Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation which currently has 19,000 consumers without power and Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation which has 10,000 out. Other systems that have reported outages include Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative and Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation.
Upper Cumberland Electric’s Cookeville office received significant damage, and at least one Middle Tennessee Electric employee lost his home.
TECA employees and their families are safe, and the TECA office was not damaged.
TECA has not received any requests for mutual aid, but we are prepared to assist as needs arise.
“Our hearts go out to our friends and neighbors who have experienced loss this morning,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of TECA. “We will work with state and local leaders to help Nashville and the middle Tennessee region recover.”
TECA is establishing a fund to assist co-op employees who have lost homes and property. We will share additional information on this as soon as the details have been finalized.
JOHNSON COUNTY, Tenn. — A crew of Mountain Electric Cooperative lineworkers rescued a woman from her nearly-submerged vehicle after a rockslide pushed it into a swollen creek.
After falling into the creek, the vehicle was washed about 300 yards downstream through turbulent waters and became lodged in the middle of a creek. With raging water on both sides, it quickly became apparent to local first responders that they had no equipment to make a swift-water rescue. Officials decided to request assistance from Mountain EC. Co-op employee Mollie Ingle had already stopped to help out, and she radioed additional crews for assistance.
Lineworkers Rick Courtner, Cody Bryant, Dakota Tester and Charlie Grindstaff rushed to the scene with a bucket truck, unsure of what they would find. “I was pushing it as hard as I could go,” Bryant said. “We had two or three hills we had to pull at like 20 miles per hour.”
The crew was able to set up the bucket truck along the edge of the water where the bucket would just barely reach the vehicle. Two linemen manned the bucket and were able to reach the vehicle and pull the frightened driver into the bucket and to safety.
“I started talking to her, asking her name,” Courtner said. “[We were] trying to keep her calm considering the situation because you could see the fear in her eyes.”
Ingle said, “When they got her in the bucket, she was clinging to Rick. She was so … everyone there was so happy.”
Courtner and Bryant don’t see themselves as heroes. “I knew the lady’s life was at risk, and we got her out,” Courtner said. “But as far as the mindset in us doing it, it’s something we do every day.”
“It is unclear how the lady would have been rescued if not for Mountain EC,” says Joe Thacker, manager of the cooperative. “It was a very serious situation, and emergency personnel had limited options due to raging water, so we’re glad we could help. Our lineworkers put themselves at risk every day to serve our communities. We are very proud of Rick, Cody, Dakota, Charlie and Mollie and their willingness to go above and beyond to help others in need. This is Mountain Electric at our best.”
NASHVILLE – More than 200 electric co-op leaders from across Tennessee were in Nashville on Tuesday, Feb. 4, asking for commonsense rules to protect the state’s electric lineworkers. Over 100 individual meetings with legislators were scheduled during the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association’s 2020 Legislative Conference.
When not installed properly,
generation sources such as solar panels, wind turbines and gas generators that
feed power to the grid can pose a real threat to the safety of lineworkers,
first responders and the general public. Co-ops asked lawmakers to support SB
1991 and HB 1923, legislation that would require property owners installing a
generation source to notify their local utility, comply with basic electric
safety codes and install a switch that would allow lineworkers and first
responders to disconnect the generation source in an emergency. Tennessee is
one of only three states that does not have similar requirements in place.
“The interest of safety demands that any interconnected generation be properly installed,” says Kevin Murphy, president of Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation and chairman of the TECA board of trustees. “This legislation is a simple and practical effort that will go a long way to protect lineworkers, first responders and the general public.”
In addition to the lineworker
safety legislation, co-ops also discussed other important topics.
Lawmakers were asked to support legislation that would allow certain utility-owned vehicles to display the Powering Tennessee specialty license plate that was introduced by the state in 2019. Proceeds from the plates support the Tennessee Lineworker Lifeline Fund, a nonprofit organization established to support lineworkers and their families.
Co-op representatives also shared
information on broadband projects and encouraged lawmakers to support
additional funding for rural broadband expansion.
“Every day, legislators make decisions that can impact the important work we do,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Visits like these provide us with valuable opportunities to educate lawmakers about co-ops and our communities. We appreciate co-op consumer-members and employees who take time away from family and work to meet with their elected officials. They help us tell the co-op story.”
https://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/RC_20200204_9906-scaled.jpg8441500Trent Scotthttps://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TECA-logo-full-light.pngTrent Scott2020-02-06 10:12:392020-02-06 10:12:40Electric co-ops advocate for lineworker safety during visits with Nashville lawmakers
Trenton, Tenn. — Yesterday the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald “DJ” LaVoy announced the award of a $31.9 million low-interest loan to Gibson Electric Membership Corporation to build high-speed broadband infrastructure in parts of western Kentucky and western Tennessee. Gibson EMC has been working to provide high-speed internet access to its consumer-members since 2017, when the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act was passed and the cooperative formed Gibson Connect, its wholly-owned, not-for-profit broadband subsidiary.
“Gibson EMC is grateful our ReConnect loan application was approved,” said Gibson EMC and Gibson Connect President and CEO Dan Rodamaker. “This low-interest loan will enable us to more affordably deploy broadband to our members,” he said. “We will use the funds primarily in parts of Hickman and Fulton counties in Kentucky and Obion County in Tennessee, as well as some areas in neighboring Carlisle and Graves counties in Kentucky and Lake, Dyer and Weakley counties in Tennessee.”
Gibson Connect is in its second year of a 3,100-mile construction project covering parts of four Kentucky counties and eight Tennessee counties. The project is being done in phases and is expected to take another three to four years to complete.
Gibson EMC’s members are driving the order of construction. The co-op’s 12-county service area is divided into zones based on substations and communities. Members can show support of this project and speed construction in their area by registering for the service at join.gibsonconnect.com. Zones that have reached their participation goals and zones funded by grants the cooperative has applied for and received are being built first.
“Ultimately we plan to provide high-speed, fiber-based internet service access to all of our members,” Rodamaker said. “Access to this essential service can enable our members to enjoy a better quality of life and help our communities thrive,” he said. “We’re honored to partner with the USDA to help bridge the digital divide.”
Caption: USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald “DJ” LaVoy (center) and Hilda Legg, State Director of USDA Rural Development-Kentucky (at podium) congratulate Gibson EMC and Gibson Connect President and CEO Dan Rodamaker on being awarded a $31.9 million ReConnect low-interest loan.
Proceeds from the plates to fund non-profit that supports lineworkers and their families following an injury or fatality
NASHVILLE – The state of Tennessee recently released a
specialty license plate that honors the service and sacrifice of Tennessee’s
electric lineworkers.
There are more than 3,500 electric lineworkers in Tennessee, and unless
the power is out, we seldom think about the important work they do. Each day,
they get out of bed, pull on their boots and work to make civilized life
possible for the people who live in their communities.
It is a dangerous job that frequently requires them to be away from their
families.
To honor the contributions of Tennessee’s
electric lineworkers, Tennessee’s electric cooperatives petitioned the General
Assembly in 2019 to authorize the creation of a specialty license plate. The
legislation was approved and signed by Gov. Lee in May.
“Tennessee’s more than 3,500 electric lineworkers power our state
through their service and dedication,” said Gov. Bill Lee. “I am proud of this
new Tennessee specialty license plate, and I thank the General Assembly for
their support in honoring these valued individuals.”
The Powering Tennessee specialty license plate was supported by the Tennessee General Assembly and Gov. Bill Lee. (L–R) TECA Board President Kevin Murphy, TECA Vice President of Government Affairs Mike Knotts, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, TECA General Manager David Callis, TECA Board Vice President Dave Cross and TECA Board Secretary Steve Sanders
Even with lawmaker approval, the state required 1,000 preorders to
put the Powering Tennessee specialty plates into production. Thanks to the
overwhelming interest from lineworkers and others across the state, organizers
collected 1,000 preorders in just six weeks.
Funds raised through specialty plate sales will benefit the
Tennessee Lineworker Lifeline Fund, a nonprofit foundation created to assist
lineworkers and their families in the event of a serious injury or fatality
while on the job.
“In 2018, electrical lineworker was ranked as the 13th most
dangerous job in the country – just behind law enforcement officers,” said
David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee
Electric Cooperative Association. “Safety is something we take seriously, but
heights, high voltage, distracted drivers and other risks are always present.
Each day lineworkers put their lives on the line for others, and the Powering
Tennessee specialty license plates are a small way to honor these tough and
dedicated community servants.”
The Powering Tennessee specialty license plate
and the Tennessee Lineworker Lifeline Fund are supported by local utilities,
the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, Tennessee Municipal Electric
Power Association, Tennessee Valley Public Power Association and International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Tennessee motorists don’t have to be lineworkers
to show their appreciation for these brave men and women – anyone with a
private vehicle registered in Tennessee can get the plate. Learn more
about the plates and the Tennessee Lineworker Lifeline Fund by visiting
poweringtennessee.org.
The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association
provides leadership, advocacy and support for Tennessee’s 23 electric
cooperatives and publishes The Tennessee Magazine, the state’s most
widely circulated periodical. Visit tnelectric.org or tnmagazine.org to learn
more.
# # #
FOR MORE INFORMATION Trent Scott | Vice President of Corporate Strategy | 615.515.5534 | [email protected]
Our
increasingly connected world is giving scammers more opportunities to connect
with unsuspecting consumers, and local authorities, utilities and other
businesses are working overtime to keep people informed. They suggest that ‘if
you see something, say something,’ is a vigilance adage that can help prevent you,
your family or your business from being victimized.
“The
Federal Trade Commission has been hearing about scammers impersonating utility
companies in an effort to get your money,” said Lisa Lake, a federal consumer
education specialist. “Your reports help us fight these scams.”
Electric
cooperatives are among the businesses and consumer organizations supporting
Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS). The international consortium of
electricity, natural gas, water and sewer providers, and trade and industry
associations is sharing information on payment scams, identity theft, sales and
service schemes.
Imposter scams are the most common type of fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC), according to UUAS officials. “Impersonators call homes and small
businesses demanding payment for supposedly delinquent bills and threatening to
terminate service.”
The frequency of the incidents picks up during peak heating and cooling
seasons, in part because consumers are most concerned when temperature extremes
increase the urgency of maintaining utility service.
Variations on the scam are also
becoming more common. Rather than making an initial claim that a consumer owes
an outstanding balance, some scammers are now claiming an overpayment is the
reason for a telephone call to a consumer. They will make contact in an attempt
to get banking information so they can process a refund.
“Never give banking information over the phone unless
you place the call to a number you know is legitimate,” wrote the FTC’s Lake in
an FTC blog.
There
has also been an uptick in door-to-door scams by people claiming to represent
utility providers like your electric co-op. Representatives knock or ring the
doorbell offering to replace or repair a meter or other device, or solicit
personal information to sign a consumer up for programs that could reduce their
energy bills.
They may try to charge you for the phony service, sell
you unnecessary products, collect personal information for use in identity
theft or simply gain entry to steal valuables, officials said.
High-pressure demands are a common tactic in many of the
schemes. Urging immediate decisions or actions, like immediate payment,
particularly by a specific option like a gift card, wire transfer, cell phone
or third-party computer app should raise serious concerns.
Utility-connected scams are common, because utility
services are so common. Lighting, heating, water and sewage services are all
essential to modern living, so any threat of service disconnections can provoke
a lot of anxiety.
Your first defense is personal awareness of your account
status, including knowing whether balances are up to date. This is becoming more
important as scammers use more automatic dialers or robocalls to phish for
potential marks.
“Even if the caller insists you have a past due bill, that’s a big red flag,” said Lake, offering an alternative response. “Contact the utility company directly using the number on your paper bill or on the company’s website. Don’t call any number the caller gave you.”
https://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/luis-villasmil-4V8uMZx8FYA-unsplash-scaled.jpg10041500Trent Scotthttps://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TECA-logo-full-light.pngTrent Scott2019-12-30 15:30:482019-12-30 15:30:50Stopping Scams for Better Service
The House on Tuesday passed the
RURAL Act, protecting more than 900 electric cooperatives throughout the nation
from the risk of losing their tax-exempt status when they accept government
grants for disaster relief, broadband service and other programs that benefit
co-op members.
The Senate is poised to pass the
bill later this week, and President Trump is expected to sign it into law.
The RURAL Act was NRECA’s top legislative priority for the year because of the profound threat to the business model of not-for-profit co-ops. Tens of thousands of co-op leaders, employees and members across the country rallied to advocate passage of the bill.
Lawmakers passed the popular bipartisan legislation in the final hours of the 2019 session as part of a larger tax and spending bill that funds the government through September 2020.
“We are grateful to members of the Tennessee delegation who supported this important legislation,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “While these changes may seem subtle, they will have a meaningful impact on Tennessee co-ops and the people they serve – lowering costs, protecting rates and encouraging investment in rural infrastructure.”
The Tennessean published a guest editorial by TECA calling on lawmakers to support the Rural Act. The op-ed appeared online last week and in print today.
The bill’s passage fixes a problem created in 2017 when Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,
which redefined government grants to co-ops as income rather than
capital. That change made it difficult for many co-ops to abide by the
15% limit on non-member income to keep their tax-exempt status. The
RURAL Act once again exempts grants from being counted as income and is
retroactive to the 2018 tax year.
Without the fix, some co-ops would
have had to start paying taxes this spring after receiving grants in 2018 or 2019
to repair storm damage, bring high-speed internet to rural communities or
invest in renewable energy and energy-efficiency programs. Many co-op leaders
feared they would have to raise rates for members to pay the new taxes.
The legislation attracted more than 300 co-sponsors in the 435-member House and more than half of the senators. The effort was led in the House by Reps. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., and Adrian Smith, R-Neb., and in the Senate by Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Tina Smith, D-Minn.
NRECA lobbyist Paul Gutierrez credited the victory to a collaborative
campaign strategy that included co-ops’ grassroots efforts to alert
their senators and representatives to the issue.
“This was an amazing NRECA team and membership effort, including co-op members at the end of the line,” he said. “We had great legislative champions in the House and Senate, and they worked tirelessly to get this included in the final tax package.”
Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership
Corporation and Aeneas Internet and Telephone Form Partnership to Bring
Broadband Internet to West Tennessee
Broadband via gigabit fiber coming soon to Southwest Tennessee Electric’s consumer-members
Brownsville, Tennessee – December 11, 2019 – Southwest Tennessee
Electric Membership Corporation and Aeneas Internet and Telephone
announce today that they have formed a partnership to build and expand a
gigabit fiber network to bring broadband communications to the region.
This partnership will pave the way for a multi-year,
multi-million-dollar investment into West Tennessee’s future. The new
network will eventually expand to provide high-speed internet access to
every consumer-member in Southwest Tennessee Electric’s service area.
The network will allow Southwest Tennessee Electric to build one
of the most advanced electric distribution systems in Tennessee. The
communication network will allow the cooperative to monitor and remotely
manage equipment across the utility’s 11-county service area, reducing
cost, improving reliability, and increasing operational efficiency.
The gigabit fiber network will also allow Southwest Tennessee
Electric and Aeneas to bring broadband internet and telephone services
to many unserved areas of southwest Tennessee. Construction’s first
phase of nearly 1,000 miles of fiber optic cable will begin in the
spring of 2020. Phase one will take approximately one year to complete
and will focus on Tipton County and Chester County. Additionally, grant
applications have been submitted to serve Hardeman and Haywood counties.
Following phases will be launched based on participation and interest.
The entire project is expected to take five years to complete.
“We have heard the call from our consumer-members all over the
service area who are asking for reliable high-speed internet service,”
said Kevin Murphy, president of Southwest Tennessee Electric.
“Recognizing that retail broadband service would be a new space for the
cooperative, we began looking for a local partner with similar mission
and purpose – serving the rural communities of West Tennessee. We found
that strategic partnership with Aeneas Internet and Telephone. Aeneas
is passionate about local customer service, and that is the culture and
purpose that we looked for in a partner.”
“Our common mission is to serve our neighbors,” Murphy said.
“That, coupled with their expansive knowledge of the technology required
to operate a gigabit fiber network, makes this a perfect fit.”
“What an exciting time for West Tennessee!” said Stephen Thorpe,
CEO of Aeneas Internet and Telephone. “For years we have worked with
Southwest Tennessee Electric on various projects bringing broadband
service to rural communities around West Tennessee. The need for
broadband is growing rapidly, and in today’s world we really do rely on
it being available to all of us – not just those that live in or around
the metro areas. Our founder Jonathan Harlan instilled in us a
commitment to the communities we live in and the people we serve – to
always have our customers and community our top priority. This is why he
believed Southwest Tennessee Electric would be a perfect partner
because we share cultures and beliefs. All of us here at Aeneas are
excited to partner with Southwest Tennessee Electric to continue with
Mr. Harlan’s legacy and help bring this much needed service to even more
people in the communities we serve!”
About Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation
Based in Brownsville, Tennessee, Southwest Tennessee Electric
Membership Corporation is a consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric
cooperative distributing power to 50,000 meters in parts of 11 West
Tennessee counties. The cooperative powers nearly 50 communities of
various sizes and maintains more than 4,000 miles of electric
distribution lines. With offices in Haywood, Tipton, Madison, and
Chester counties; STEMC has been community focused for almost 85 years.
About Aeneas Internet and Telephone
Headquartered in Jackson, Tennessee, Aeneas Internet and
Telephone has been named to Entrepreneur magazine’s Hot 500 list of
fastest growing businesses in the United States, as well as BusinessTN
magazine’s Hot100 and Inc. Magazine’s Inc 5,000. Founded in 1995, Aeneas
offers a myriad of services including gigabit fiber broadband, local
and long distance, VoIP, office phone systems, commercial web hosting
and corporate e-mail, network security, off-site file storage, data
center services, managed networking, and more.
If you would like more information about Southwest Electric
Membership Corporation, please call Billy Gordon at 731-585-0538, or
email [email protected].
If you would like more information about Aeneas Internet and
Telephone, please call Stephen Thorpe at 731-554-9200 or email
[email protected]
State’s
electric cooperatives gather in Nashville to explore the opportunities facing
co-ops
NASHVILLE – The 78th annual meeting
of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association was held Sunday, Nov. 24,
through Tuesday, Nov. 26, in Nashville. Nearly 400 electric cooperative leaders
from across the state attended the event where they discussed the
significant impact co-ops have, challenged one another to meet the needs of
their communities and learned more about emerging technology and power supply
issues.
During an address to electric co-op leaders, Gov. Bill Lee commended co-ops for their service to rural Tennessee. “What you do is important to me, and it is critically important to Tennessee’s rural communities,” said Lee. “You bring not light but life to rural Tennessee.”
“Our
co-ops are uniquely positioned to have a positive impact on the rural and
suburban communities we serve,” says David Callis, executive vice president and
general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “From
infrastructure to education to communications, co-ops invest more money in
rural Tennessee than almost any other group. We know that these communities
matter, and we have a vested interest in their success.”
Kevin Murphy, president of Southwest Tennessee
Electric Membership Corporation in Brownsville, was elected president of the
TECA board of trustees. Dave Cross, manager of Plateau Electric Cooperative in Onieda,
was named vice president, and Steve Sanders, director for Gibson Electric
Membership Corporation in Trenton, was named secretary.
Elections were also held for three positions on
the association’s board of trustees. Keith Carnahan, CEO of Meriwether Lewis
Electric Cooperative in Centerville; Albert Dicus, director from Caney Fork
Electric in Madisonville; and Greg Williams, manager for Appalachain Electric
Cooperative in new Market, were elected to four-year terms.
Mike Partin, CEO of South Pittsburg’s Sequachee
Valley Electric Cooperative, was also elected to serve as Tennessee’s
representative on the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association board of
directors.
“We congratulate those selected to serve in
leadership positions,” says Callis. “We depend on our co-ops to provide
guidance and counsel for the association, and we are grateful for their
willingness to serve.”
The fifth annual TECA Top Tenn Communications
Awards were presented during the event. Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative
received an award for Best External Newsletter or Magazine Section; Middle
Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation, Best Internal Newsletter; Meriwether
Lewis Electric Cooperative, Best Website; Southwest Tennessee Electric
Membership Corporation, Best Use of Social Media; and Middle Tennessee Electric
Membership Corporation, Best Video. Duck River Electric Membership Corporation,
Appalachian Electric Cooperative and Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative received
Awards of Excellence in the Wild Card category, with Gibson Electric Membership
Corporation, Duck River Electric Membership Corporation and Caney Fork Electric
Cooperative earning Awards of Merit.
Four co-ops were presented with certifications
from the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program for 2019. Receiving
certifications at this year’s event were Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative,
Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative, Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative
and Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation.
“We believe
that Tennesseans should not be constrained by where they choose to live, and we
are committed to closing the gap between opportunities in places like Nashville
and Chattanooga and the opportunities that exist in New Market, Centerville and
hundreds of other rural and suburban communities,” says Callis. “The continued
success of co-ops and the communities we serve depend on people choosing to
live and raise their families here – not in spite of the limitations, but
because of the abundant opportunities.”
https://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/IMG_1167-scaled.jpg8441500Trent Scotthttps://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TECA-logo-full-light.pngTrent Scott2019-12-02 11:16:152019-12-02 11:16:17Electric co-ops give Tennesseans the power to be more
David Callis, executive vice president and general manager, Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association
The Lewis and Clark expedition was, for the early 1800s, a “moon shot” of epic proportions. The United States was a young and growing country. President Thomas Jefferson had just brokered the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the size of the nation, and a thorough exploration was in order. Capts. William Clark and Meriwether Lewis led a party of 33 soldiers and guides. Not knowing the challenges they would face, they embarked on an 8,000-mile journey that would take well over two years.
Planning for the trip began months earlier. They made use of
everything. The barrels in which they packed their provisions were lined
with lead to keep things dry. When the barrel was empty, the lead could
be fashioned into ammunition. The iron staves holding the barrels
together were used to trade with the natives in the region.
Jack Uldrich, noted author and futurist, has written and taught
extensively about Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery. In his book
“Into the Unknown,” he writes, “How can we prepare for the future? What
skills will we need? What tools? What equipment? Where do we even start?
These are the very questions Louis and Clark asked themselves, and we
could look to them for inspiration.”
There are lessons to be learned from Lewis and Clark in how we face
an uncertain and changing future. In fact, we’ve been down this road
before.
In 1935, when Congress created the Rural Electric Administration
(REA), no one could imagine the transformation it would bring to rural
America. Most rural residents were still living as their parents and
grandparents had in the 1800s. There were visionaries like young Rep.
Lyndon Johnson who championed the work of the REA. The idea that rural
residents deserved the same “luxuries” as city-dwellers took hold, and
change began. By the 1940s, rural America was well on its way to parity.
But it didn’t happen overnight, and it took a lot of planning. It
took legislative changes, and it took dedication and commitment from
those who would be served.
Before the REA would grant loans to cooperatives, residents who would
be served were required to invest capital. Many were hesitant to get
involved in the fledgling electric cooperative movement. It took the
commitment of leaders in the community to get on board and convince
their neighbors to also join. Johnson, himself, went door-to-door in the
Texas Hill Country, encouraging farmers to pay $5 each to jumpstart
Pedernales Electric Cooperative.
Today, Pedernales is still providing power and opportunity to the
Hill Country. Johnson wrote in 1959, “I think of all the things I have
ever done, nothing has ever given me as much satisfaction.”
Uldrich again: “The 21st century is a time of accelerating, almost
exponential, change. Advances in computer electronics,
telecommunications, and medicine are announced every day. Genomics, nano
technology, wireless technologies, the Internet, fuel cells, solar
cells, DNA analysis, the sequencing of the human genome, stem cell
research, voice recognition technology, and even the advancement of
knowledge itself are propelling us faster and faster downriver, and,
like Lewis and Clark, we don’t know what’s around the next bend.”
In the electric cooperative community, we spend a lot of time
preparing for the journey. As technology has advanced, we’ve changed
with it. Over the years, the pace of change continues to accelerate.
Though we can’t anticipate what’s next on the horizon, we have the
people, the resources and the dedication to continue to do what we’ve
done since the beginning.
NASHVILLE – Twenty-nine service projects were completed by electric co-op employees on or around Thursday, Oct. 17 thanks to the 2019 Tennessee Electric Co-op Day of Service. Thirteen co-ops allowed 480 employees to volunteer more than 1,000 hours in service to their local communities.
“It is no secret that electric co-op employees care about the communities where they live and work,” says Trent Scott, TECA’s vice president of corporate strategy and organizer of the event. “They give back to their communities each day by keeping the lights on for their friends and neighbors. The Day of Service is different – it is a unique opportunity to make our state and these individual communities better places. Each of the projects completed during this year’s event are important, but the impact is multiplied when co-ops across the state work together to improve everyday life for the people and places we serve.”
Service projects completed for this year’s event include volunteering at schools, nursing homes and food banks; serving meals to first responders and school bus drivers; collecting food, toys, clothing and other supplies for local pantries; and partnering with organizations like United Way, Second Harvest Food Bank, Friends of Radnor Lake and Habitat for Humanity.
Each employee who participated in this year’s event received a Day of Service t-shirt thanks to the generous support of sponsors Bass, Berry & Sims, CoBank, CT Consultants, LogicomUSA and The Tennessee Magazine.
This is the third Day of Service event conducted by Tennessee co-ops. In its three-year history, 1,236 employees have volunteered more than 3,100 hours to complete 75 individual projects in co-op communities across the state.
In the photo: TECA employees Tina Smith, Mallory Dunavan, Amy Jordan, Laura Beth Laden and Trent Scott volunteered to help with the construction of a new hiking trail at Radnor Lake State Natural Area near the association’s office in Nashville.
https://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/DOS-2.jpg15052000Trent Scotthttps://www.tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TECA-logo-full-light.pngTrent Scott2019-10-17 14:22:222019-10-17 14:26:12Twenty-nine projects completed on 2019 Day of Service
