Press Release: May 6, 2024

Middle Tennessee Electric Partners with TVA to Award Grants to Local Schools Through School Uplift Program

Representatives from TVA and MTE present Holloway High School with the grant check. L-R: Jennifer Hathaway (TVA), Megan Keen (TVA) Sydney Buvvaji (Holloway HS Teacher), Kevin Lee (MTE), Fred Campbell (Holloway HS Assistant Principal), and Robert White (MTE).

Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) announced today that Holloway High School, located in the Rutherford County School District; Bradley Academy, located in the Murfreesboro City School District; and West Elementary School, located in the Wilson County School System, were each awarded a $10,000 grant through Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) School Uplift program.

Tight budgets and aging buildings leave many schools facing a difficult decision between funding learning programs and making needed facility upgrades. Since 2021, TVA’s $7.87 million School Uplift program has helped 225 public schools in the seven-state region solve that problem.

School Uplift’s year-long energy management training program, developed with the State of Tennessee’s Energy Efficient Schools Initiative, helps public school districts make smart energy choices that improve the classroom learning environment and save money through decreased energy use. Participating schools compete to earn grants by cutting their energy waste through behavioral changes and by engaging students, faculty, staff, and community.

“School Uplift is another way we’ve partnered with TVA to invest in our community,” said Robert White, MTE vice president of community relations and member services. “We are so excited that three deserving schools in our service territory earned this grant, which will enable administrators to improve facilities and make the school more efficient, healthy, and comfortable for teachers and students. The faculty, staff, and students committed to prioritizing energy efficiency over the last school year and earned this grant through their hard work.”

On average, participating schools have saved nearly 10% on their annual energy bills from behavior changes alone. When savings from grant-funded energy upgrades are added, this year’s School Uplift participants have estimated total energy savings of 9 GWh or the amount of electricity used by 1,241 homes in one year.

“Every dollar invested in our schools helps districts allocate resources to where it matters most – educating our children,” said Monika Beckner, vice president of TVA’s Energy Services & Programs. “We’re inspired by the winners of this year’s School Uplift grants and proud of their dedication to reducing energy waste and building a sustainable future for us all.”

Recently, TVA’s School Uplift program was recognized as a 2024 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year by ENERGY STAR, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

TVA EnergyRight and MTE will continue to recruit public K-12 schools for the 2024-2025 program. Visit EnergyRight.com/school-uplift to express interest in participating in this exciting program.

About Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE)

Founded in 1936, MTE is the largest electric cooperative in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) region and the second largest in the United States, serving more than 750,000 Tennesseans via 330,000+ accounts covering nearly 2,200 square miles in 11 Middle Tennessee counties, primarily Rutherford, Cannon, Williamson and Wilson. Municipalities served include Murfreesboro, Franklin, Brentwood, Smyrna, La Vergne, Lebanon and Mt. Juliet. MTE employs around 530 people in six local offices and its Murfreesboro headquarters. 
 
MTE’s subsidiary, United Communications, is a nationally recognized broadband company with a fiber network spanning more than 3,800 route miles, providing high-speed internet and phone services to portions of Bedford, Davidson, Franklin, Giles, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Rutherford, Williamson, and Wilson counties.

About Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) - Boiler Plate

About TVA

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power distributors serving nearly 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.