TN Clean Fuels Press Release: Tennessee Tech Unveils DCFC Unit

On July 22, Tennessee Technological University (Tennessee Tech, or TTU) unveiled a new Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) station that will serve a U.S. Department of Energy -funded project started in 2019, as well as the greater Cookeville area. The unit was installed in a TTU parking lot along a busy corridor in Cookeville and will be the primary refueling site for an all-electric E450 shuttle bus that is part of the same DOE project. Lead project infrastructure partner Seven States Power Corporation managed the installation.

TTU was awarded and started that three-year DOE project last year, towards “developing an Electrical Vehicle (EV) Testbed in the 14-county ‘Upper Cumberland’ region of Tennessee.” The region is a largely rural area and includes a number of economically distressed counties (see map below). The grant’s Principal Investigator, Dr. Pingen Chen , is an Assistant Professor in TTU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and has brought a diverse group of about 10 partners into the project.

One component of this multifaceted project is the installation of nine EV charging units throughout the Upper Cumberland region. The first of the nine EV charging units is the DCFC unit that was installed at 320 University Drive, Cookeville, TN 38501. In the coming months, the remaining eight EV charging stations – all of which will be Level-2 stations – will be installed in select locations in the surrounding counties in the following cities: Lafayette, Carthage, Livingston, Byrdstown, Jamestown, Smithville, Sparta and Spencer.

Another facet of the project includes procuring five electrified vehicles, which include three Nissan Leafs , one all-electric E-450 passenger shuttle, and one plug-in hybrid F-250. “The three Nissan Leafs are ready to be used now for educational purposes, such as showcasing the value of electric vehicles through Ride and Drive or Show and Tell types of experiences specifically for our rural community,” said Dr. Chen. “Many times, in our state, we see plenty of EV opportunities and accessibility available in metropolitan cities, whereas rural communities are not prioritized. Our goal is to provide information, education, and a variety of EV experiences and opportunities for business leaders and community members to have access to this new automobile technology and to help inform their buying decisions.”

A 7 seven states charging station with a tree in the background. — The new ChargePoint DCFC unit has cables for both the CHAdeMO and SAE Combo standards and connectors.

Also, in attendance at the DCFC unveiling was TTU’s President, Dr. Phillip Oldham. “We are pleased with Dr. Chen’s EV initiative at TTU. This project fits well within TTU’s Grand Challenge Initiative called Rural Reimagined , which focuses on how the university will harness science, technology, and innovation to transform rural living,” said President Oldham. “Tennessee Tech serves more distressed counties than any other state university in Tennessee and is centrally located to eight counties in great need. We have an opportunity where this EV initiative can drive change through developing partnerships that will help transform our rural community. We find this opportunity energizing and a step-forward for Tech and our community overall.”

While the Nissan Leafs will be utilized to showcase EV operations and driving ease to individuals and fleets in the entire region, the E-450 shuttle will be used specifically by the transportation department of the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency. They plan to first utilize a TTU and downtown Cookeville route to operate the shuttle, but after any initial problems are worked out and the shuttle has proven its reliability in service, the department plans to move it to other routes around the 14-county region. Finally, the plug-in hybrid F-250 was specifically chosen as ‘best choice’ for getting farmers in the counties to test drive an electric vehicle. Jonathan Overly of ETCleanFuels notes, “if we really wanted to change the region’s farmers opinions about EVs, we thought that range restriction could make them test driving an EV a nonstarter. Thus, we elected to go with a plug-in hybrid so that they could finish any chore or task that they might handle on any given day.” The three Leafs are already in use, while the E-450 and F-250 are still in the process of being converted by those respective partners, Phoenix Motorcars and XL Fleet.

TTU’s project includes partnerships with Nissan North America , the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition , ChargePoint , Seven States Power Corporation , the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency , the University of Texas at Austin , Phoenix Motorcars , Lyft and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

For more information about this grant and project, contact Dr. Pingen Chen at pchen@tntech.edu .

To view this press release in PDF format, click here.

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Seven States Power Corporation Explores Power Generation Initiative for Memphis and the Tennessee Valley

By Jessica Bradshaw • September 17, 2025

Seven States Power Corporation (Seven States) is exploring opportunities to deliver new power generation to the Tennessee Valley. The effort is bolstered by a landmark $415 million zero-interest loan and $24 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service (USDA RUS), designed to meet the growing demand for power while strengthening grid reliability. The opportunity signals a creative solution toward advancing American Energy Dominance in the southeast region. “We are excited to get underway with this first of what we hope will be a number of USDA-assisted projects across the Tennessee Valley,” said Betsey Kirk McCall, President and CEO of Seven States Power Corporation. “We understand this initiative aligns with national priorities on energy dominance and security.” The project is intended to use domestically produced solar panels and battery storage that tie into the electric grid, generating a new source of affordable solar power for residential and commercial customers and providing a new source of stored energy that can be used to meet peak demands as needed. The project is proposed to be constructed on industrial land owned by the Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) and subleased to Seven States. “MLGW is supporting Seven States in this effort by exploring the feasibility of this project as a way to strengthen and modernize our grid to create greater reliability for our customers and potentially help us maintain some of the lowest electric rates in the country,” said Doug McGowen, President and CEO of MLGW. A subleasing arrangement approved by EDGE is the first step toward this innovative solution. Seven States and MLGW will continue to assess the best technical and contractual path forward to delivering more than 200MW of solar generation and battery storage. This collaboration illustrates how federal funding, coupled with local partnership, can accelerate how energy is generated and transmitted to strengthen the grid. This new generation could serve a growing Shelby County and Tennessee Valley by December 2027. ### About Seven States: Seven States Power Corporation is a generation and transmission cooperative with a mission to leverage innovative technology to design, develop, and deploy energy solutions, together with more than 100 member-owner local power companies, across the Tennessee Valley. A key aspect of Seven States’ formation was the ability to finance utility-scale generation assets, expand energy production, and modernize infrastructure to support the growing grid. About MLGW: MLGW is the nation's largest three-service municipal utility, serving more than 440,000 customers. Since 1939, MLGW has met the utility needs of Memphis and Shelby County residents by delivering reliable and affordable electricity, natural gas, and water service.

Powering the Present and Shaping the Future

By Jessica Bradshaw • September 9, 2025

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, the energy ecosystem is more complex—and more essential—than ever. Every community, every business, and every innovation depends on reliable, affordable, and abundant power. At Seven States, we recognize this ecosystem—past, present, and future—is critical to unleashing American energy and empowering the Tennessee Valley. Many different forms of energy play a vital role in fueling today’s industries. From nuclear, coal, and natural gas plants that provide baseload reliability, to solar and battery storage that deliver power quickly to the grid, America can dominate this industry and lead globally given the abundant resources and technological advancements present in our country. At the core of our cooperative work is a mission that is as straightforward as it is powerful: megawatts. From the Southaven combined cycle gas plant we co-owned with TVA to the $439 million funding award we received earlier this year from USDA, Seven States has always been laser-focused on building and owning capacity of all sizes that deliver real, measurable impact. Our relationship with USDA opens the door to more potential funding for the Valley. As such, we have submitted for consideration additional funding requests up to $5.6 billion in financing capacity to acquire 4,000MW of utility-scale natural gas units and another $320 million to deploy 300MW of distribution-scale battery storage on 75+ project sites. By working incrementally with each customer and at-scale across the Valley, we are empowering our member-owner LPCs to meet consumer demand in an evolving utility marketplace. As a reminder, Seven States was awarded a $414 million zero-interest loan and $25 million grant to built utility-scale power generation in the Valley. Of note, while other projects throughout the Valley have been impacted by recent federal funding changes, the USDA New ERA funds awarded to Seven States remain intact and the project is progressing forward with a new site. Our mission is not just about preparing for the future; it’s about building the here and now. New power generation, reliability as a service, transportation infrastructure, and grid modernization are not concepts on a drawing board—they are real projects, powering homes, businesses, and institutions today. By anchoring innovation in present action, we ensure that the Tennessee Valley doesn’t just keep pace with change but sets a fast pace for energy leadership. In the end, understanding the energy ecosystem means recognizing its depth, complexity, and interdependence. At Seven States Power, we embrace that complexity as our opportunity—to deliver megawatts, unleash American energy, support economic development, and to lead the Valley into an energy future that honors where we’ve been while advancing where we must go.

Investment Tax Credits: 7 Takeaways for New Projects

By Jessica Bradshaw • September 9, 2025

Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) remain one of the most effective tools available to local power companies (LPCs) and private businesses looking to accelerate energy infrastructure investments. With recent federal legislation revising eligibility and critical deadlines approaching, the time is now to use ITCs toward planned projects. Seven States has closely monitored every stage of legislative changes to the ITC policies, ensuring that project partners stay informed on evolving opportunities and risks. Beyond tracking policy shifts, Seven States has actively advocated for protecting ITC provisions to our federal, state, and local delegations, reinforcing their long-term value for the communities they serve. Following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill and subsequent changes by Treasury, here are seven key takeaways on how to utilize ITC to lower costs for anticipated solar and battery storage projects. Seven States recently completed its ITC registration of a battery storage asset and is prepared to guide project partners through these opportunities, as well as offer technical expertise, project management, and financing coordination to maximize every dollar of value. 1. Don’t Miss Critical Deadlines Timing is essential when it comes to ITCs. Credit rates often decline over time, and most projects must meet “begin construction” requirements by July 4, 2025 to secure the highest incentives. Proper documentation is essential to qualify. Seven States helps members stay ahead of these timelines with expert guidance on compliance, permitting, and project execution. 2. Battery Storage Projects Remain Eligible One of the most impactful updates to ITC policy is the protection of standalone battery storage. Moreover, ITCs help make solar-plus-storage a practical reality. These solutions provide load management, outage resilience, and support for emerging operational integrations. Seven States offers the know-how to design and finance these systems, helping members capture the full benefits. 3. Solar Projects Remain Eligible Solar energy continues to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of ITCs. By covering a significant portion of upfront costs, ITCs make solar projects more affordable and financially attractive for LPCs and businesses. This enables owners to grow their generation portfolios, reduce risk, and deliver cost savings to end users. Pairing ITCs with Seven States’ technical expertise ensures solar installations are optimized for performance and long-term community benefit. 4. Be aware of Foreign Entities of Concern (FEOC) Policies Recent updates to federal policy now restrict the use of ITCs for projects that source equipment or materials from “foreign entities of concern,” such as China. This shift makes supply chain diligence more critical than ever, as project owners must carefully select vendors and partners to ensure ITC eligibility and avoid costly disqualifications. Seven States can help navigate these evolving requirements by vetting technology providers, coordinating compliant procurement strategies, and reducing the risk of ineligibility—ensuring projects move forward with confidence and maximum financial benefit. 5. Financing Complexity Requires Expertise Navigating ITC rules, financing structures, and transferability provisions is not simple. The upside is substantial, but so is the complexity. Seven States provides the expertise needed to manage these elements, from structuring deals and securing tax equity to coordinating compliance. 6. The Cost of Waiting Is High Between phasedown schedules, rising project costs, and supply chain constraints, waiting to act can mean missing out on millions in incentives. Project Owners that move quickly will lock in higher ITC rates, secure financing on favorable terms, and be first in line for limited equipment and contractor availability. Seven States is ready to help move projects from planning to implementation before windows close. 7. Seven States Is Your ITC Partner Seven States brings deep technical knowledge and financial coordination expertise. As a trusted partner, Seven States can help LPCs and businesses identify the right projects, capture available incentives, and deliver more reliable energy at a lower cost. The time to act is now—and with Seven States, you don’t have to navigate the ITC landscape alone.