Changing Lives Through Energy Efficiency: 350th Home Uplift Completed
Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) celebrated the completion of the 350th Home Uplift renovation on Wednesday, Sept. 10. This milestone highlights ongoing efforts to help local homeowners save money and improve energy efficiency.
The celebration took place at the home of Susie and Garry Tanner of Woodbury, who recently received extensive energy upgrades through the Home Uplift Program. Improvements included a new heating and cooling unit, ductwork sealing, a water heater upgrade, added attic insulation, air sealing and other high-impact energy-saving measures—all at no cost to the homeowner.
“This program is about more than saving energy—it’s about changing lives,” said Chris Jones, MTE president/CEO. “When we help members like Mr. Tanner make their homes more energy-efficient, they benefit from lower bills, greater comfort and lasting improvements in their home.”
Since its launch in 2020, the partnership between MTE and TVA has brought the Home Uplift Program to hundreds of qualifying homeowners across Middle Tennessee. On average, participants save more than $400 annually on energy costs. Eligible upgrades may include insulation, ductwork replacement, water heater improvements, HVAC tune-ups, and new energy-efficient appliances.
Ray Knotts, TVA senior director of demand management, noted the broader impact of the initiative: “Across the Tennessee Valley, TVA and local power companies have completed more than 7,500 Home Uplift projects since 2018. Every one of these upgrades helps reduce the energy burden for families and strengthens our communities.”
For Mr. Tanner, the program has already made a difference. “We really appreciate all the work they’ve done for us,” he said. “It’s improved the house considerably.”
The Home Uplift Program continues to be a cornerstone of MTE and TVA’s shared mission to deliver affordable, reliable energy while improving the lives of members and customers.
To learn more about the program or start an application, visit mte.com/HomeUplift.
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 345,000+ 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 540 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 4,800 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 the nation’s largest public power supplier, delivering energy to more than 10 million people across seven southeastern states. TVA has one of the most diverse energy systems – including nuclear, hydro, coal, gas, solar and advanced technologies. TVA is making significant investments in its power system toward new generation and transmission.
TVA is a corporate agency of the United States, receiving no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. TVA maintains some of the lowest energy costs and highest reliability in the nation. TVA’s residential rates are lower than those paid by about 80% of customers of the top 100 U.S. utilities, and its industrial rates are lower than those paid by over 90% of customers of the top 100 U.S. utilities. In addition, 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. Learn more at TVA.com.
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