Seven States Power held its highly anticipated Annual Meeting October 1-2 at Montgomery Bell State Park in Burns, TN. LPCs, stakeholders, and industry leaders gathered to discuss key issues, review emerging technologies and policy advancements, and strategize for the future of the energy industry. The meeting focused on collaborative efforts aimed at enhancing energy reliability to meet the evolving needs of Seven States members as well as addressing pressing challenges within the energy sector as a whole.
The Annual Meeting offered attendees the opportunity to hear a keynote address from Groundswell President & CEO Michelle Moore. The event also featured a panel including Commissioner David Salyers (TDEC), Commissioner Stuart McWhorter (TNECD), Chief Operating Officer Brandon Gibson (Office of Governor Bill Lee), and moderated by Dennis Tumlin (Chief Customer Officer, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development); with discussions highlighting the need for continued investment in clean energy infrastructure, innovation, and regulatory support.
Additionally, key LPC leaders who currently serve as Seven States Valley Innovation Ambassadors, including Dave Puskala (Superintendent, Glasgow EPB), Frankie Moorman (General Manager, Pontotoc EPA), Dan Rodamaker (President & CEO, Gibson EMC), and Monte Cooper (President & CEO, JEA) joined a panel moderated by Edward Kemp (General Manager, Starkville Utilities) to discuss immediate challenges facing their local power companies and possible solutions available to address the evolving needs of energy consumers.
Special guests from the University of Tennessee Knoxville and the University of Tennessee Chattanooga joined together for a panel discussion on data driven EV deployments moderated by Victoria Hirschberg, Assistant VP of Research, Outreach & Economic Development at UTK. Participants included Dr. Mina Sartipi (Executive Director of TN Chattanooga Research Institute, UTC), Jennifer Fritts (Director of Advancement, Engineering & Technology, UTC), and Medhi Khaleghian (PhD Candidate, UTC). The group partnered with Seven States to analyze data collected from EV chargers across the Valley, particularly those in the Fast Charge Network. The panel delivered a creative presentation showing usage trends to support data-driven EV deployment strategies.
President & CEO, Betsey Kirk McCall, delivered a report in which she said, “Achieving our vision as an organization means that Seven States is helping LPCs run parallel paths to success. Our goal is to support LPCs and TVA in delivering energy solutions for today while the Seven States team focuses on tomorrow. Doing this work in tandem accelerates the Valley as the leader for new technologies while ‘blazing a new trail’ for a thriving economy.”
Seven States was proud to partner with the Dickson Electric System and Montgomery Bell State Park teams to design, develop and deploy a battery storage solution at the visitor center and bring 6 solar charging stations to various trailheads at Montgomery Bell State Park. The battery storage unit will provide additional reliability and resiliency to Dickson Electric’s energy grid, and the solar chargers will provide visitors with energy to charge small electronics ahead of hikes and recreational activities at the park. Read more about this project HERE.
An exciting announcement was made just hours before the event kicked off regarding the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New ERA (Empowering Rural America) program. Seven States was proud to announce that they have been invited to submit a full application to the program as it seeks to secure $200,000,000 in federal funding for new and clean energy initiatives. Read more about this opportunity HERE.
During the Board and Membership Meetings, the Board of Directors recognized three directors with expiring terms and expressed appreciation to each for their years of service, leadership, and commitment to the organization’s path forward:
- Darrell Gillespie, Dickson Electric System
- Jamie Davis, Knoxville Utilities Board
- Dana Jeanes, Memphis Light, Gas & Water
During the time together, the following members were elected to serve on the Seven States Board of Directors:
The full Board of Directors can be found HERE.
A notable theme throughout the event was the importance of collaboration with member LPCs. Seven States Power reflected on its work over the past year in providing member-driven solutions and offering customized energy services that address emerging challenges. Ongoing initiatives in designing, developing, and deploying reliable and innovative technologies were highlighted as key contributors to success.
Seven States reaffirmed its commitment to solving technology challenges incrementally with each LPC while solving them at scale for the Valley. Whether it’s large generation assets or distribution technology, if the solution benefits the Valley economy, you will find Seven States delivering it.
To view a message from TVA’s CEO Jeff Lyash, click here.
