At the Tennessee Valley Solar Conference on October 13, Appalachian Electric Cooperative (AEC) and Morristown Utilities Commission (MUC) were celebrated for pursing the first joint solar project in the Tennessee Valley, earning the Tennessee Solar Energy Industries Association’s (TenneSEIA) 2021 Solar Champion Award, which recognizes substantial contributions to expanding solar in the region.

“We applaud AEC and MUC for their unique and innovative approach toward jointly pursuing solar generation that benefits their communities and customers,” said Betsey Kirk McCall, President and CEO of Seven States Power. “We also celebrate TVA for supporting this unique approach and are proud of the role we are able to play in providing solar consulting services to both LPCs throughout the life of the project.”

The 28.4MW project, set to be completed by 2023, will allow TVA to adjust the wholesale bill for each LPC to reflect a 50/50 split of the power generated by the facility.

The project is the first of its kind in the Tennessee Valley and was made possible by TVA’s Flexibility Program, which allows LPCs to meet 5% of their power needs through local generating sources.

Greg Williams, General Manager and Executive Vice President of AEC, and Jody Wigington, General Manager and CEO of MUC, accepted the award on behalf of their entities.

“The partnership between AEC and MUC serves as a great case study for other LPCs across the Tennessee Valley who are looking for creative ways to deploy solutions that best serve their customers,” said Steve Noe, Vice President of Sustainability & Energy Resilience of Seven States Power. “We were thrilled to get the call from Greg and Jody and have enjoyed working with them to make this a reality.”

For more information on how Seven States can help design, develop, and deploy solar projects in your area, please contact Steve Noe.