Chattanooga, TN (Apr. 26, 2022) – EPB helped its customers adopt 15.6 million kWh of carbon-saving smart energy technologies in 2021, making Chattanooga’s municipal utility the number one local power company across the Tennessee Valley Authority seven-state region when it comes to efficient electrification across all TVA EnergyRight programs.

EPB was named a top performer in 12 categories when it comes to helping residential and business customers save money and energy through the TVA EnergyRight program in their 2021 Highlights Report.

“TVA thanks EPB for helping customers embrace the changing energy industry, change their consumption habits and learn about new technologies,” said Cindy Herron, vice president of TVA EnergyRight.

EPB was also the number one local power company valley-wide for helping its industrial customers convert 11.4 million kWh away from fossil fuels and toward smart energy technologies through the TVA EnergyRight for Industry Smart Energy Technologies program.

“Maximizing efficiency for industrial power users makes a huge impact,” said John Watts, EPB Energy Pro. “EPB and TVA work with industrial users to create customized, plantwide approaches that help them control expenses, boost their bottom lines and use energy more efficiently, in addition to the environmental benefits.”

EPB helped its business customers save 2.8 million kWh through the same program by providing expert guidance, professional energy evaluation tools, research and service to commercial customers while supporting TVA’s load optimization efforts.

“By providing energy assessments and incentives, qualifying businesses get to take even more control of their bottom line and energy use,” said Watts.

The EPB Energy Pros helped Chattanooga area families save 363,000 kWh in 2021 through its Home Uplift program, one of the top-performing programs in the TVA region.

“Home Uplift consists of free home upgrades that increase the energy efficiency and comfort of homes and enable families with limited means to lower their energy bills,” said Watts. “Funds are used for HVAC repair/replacement, insulation, air leak reduction, windows and doors, as well as minor health and safety repairs that enable energy upgrades.”

The EPB Energy Pros also helped families save 128,000 kWh with the DIY Home Energy Assessment, an online evaluation where residential customers can input information about their homes and receive a personalized report with energy efficiency recommendations. First-time participants receive an energy efficiency starter kit as well.

EPB was recognized as a top performer for the North Star Award for helping lower the energy burden for underserved communities in the Valley and the Torch Award for increasing participation in the TVA EnergyRight program. EPB also received Community Champion, Communication and Innovation awards in recognition of partnerships with TVA and the state of Tennessee to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles with the goal of bringing over 200,000 EVs to the Valley by 2028 and creating a network of public fast-charging stations every 50 miles along major travel routes across Tennessee by 2030.

The EPB Energy Pros can help all customers save energy and money with a free EPB Home Energy Checkup. They can analyze customers’ homes and provide personalized recommendations about the most cost-effective ways to make their homes healthier and more energy-efficient. This is available to both homeowners and renters in the EPB service territory. The EPB Energy Pros can also do a free energy bill analysis to help customers learn how to track costs, levelize their bills and take advantage of available rebates. They can recommend TVA-approved contractors, and they’ll even inspect the contractor’s work when the project is complete to ensure optimal customer benefit. With 75 years of combined experience, the EPB Energy Pros can answer questions about all things energy including electric vehicles, energy-efficient appliances, home remodeling, new home construction, smart home technology, solar panels and much more.

Schedule an in-person visit at EPB.com/energypros or call 423-648-1372 to speak with EPB’s local, award-winning 24/7/365 customer service team.

About EPB

EPB serves the people of the Chattanooga area with advanced smart city infrastructure to enable world-class energy and connectivity solutions that include the most resilient smart grid power distribution system in the United States and the fastest internet in the world. EPB gained national notice when it deployed a community-wide fiber optic network accessible to all its customers and used it to launch America’s first Gig-speed internet in 2010 (beating Google Fiber by 4 years) as well as the first 10 Gig internet service available as a standard offer to all residences and businesses in 2015.

EPB also utilized the fiber optic network as the communications backbone for deploying more than 200,000 smart switches, sensors and other devices to establish the most advanced and highly automated smart grid in the nation. As a result, the U.S. Department of Energy named EPB a living laboratory for pioneering smart grid technologies. Since then, EPB has partnered with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and more than 20 other national research partners to play a critical role in more than $155 million in smart city research. EPB was also the first major power distribution utility to earn the GBCI’s PEER certification for having a highly automated, modernized electric power grid in 2015 and followed up in 2021 by re-certifying at PEER Gold.

EPB is an independent board of the City of Chattanooga which began serving customers in 1939. Visit epb.com for more information.

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