Chattanooga, TN (Nov. 12, 2021) – EPB has been named a “Smart Energy Provider” by the American Public Power Association (APPA) for demonstrating a commitment to energy efficiency and environmental initiatives that support the goal of providing safe, reliable, low-cost and sustainable electric service. APPA’s “Smart Energy Provider” program recognizes utilities across the United States for demonstrating smart energy program planning, distributed energy resources, environmental programs, and customer communication, experience and education.

“Utilities that earn the ‘Smart Energy Provider’ designation are going the extra mile beyond providing electricity for their communities,” said Matt Hein, who chairs the APPA Innovation Committee. “This designation celebrates utilities that are committed to serving their customers with leading smart energy programs. This helps show the Chattanooga community that EPB is focused on providing excellent service while planning for the future.”

APPA provides national recognition of utility efforts to incorporate energy efficiencies and sustainability while providing affordable electric service. Additionally, achieving this “Smart Energy Provider” designation will help public power utilities benchmark and evaluate their work on these topics against a set of industry best practices.

“As a part of our mission to enhance quality of life for our community, EPB is dedicated to helping our customers save money, increase energy efficiency, and reduce environmental impact,” said David Wade, EPB President & CEO. “We provide smart infrastructure solutions and expertise to help our customers and our community as a whole meet energy needs and environmental goals.”

EPB joins more than 90 public power utilities in America to hold this “Smart Energy Provider” designation. Each application submitted is reviewed by an expert panel of public power representatives from diverse backgrounds and regions with substantial industry expertise in the smart energy program disciplines. Once received, utilities must re-apply every two years to keep it.

About APPA

The American Public Power Association is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 49 million people in 2,000 towns and cities nationwide. APPA advocates and advises on electricity policy, technology, trends, training and operations.

About EPB

EPB serves the greater Chattanooga area by providing world-class energy and connectivity solutions as a means of promoting economic development and enhancing quality of life for our community. We deliver electricity to more than 170,000 homes and businesses across our 600 square mile service area which includes most of Hamilton County as well as parts of surrounding counties in both Tennessee and Georgia. In 2010, EPB Fiber Optics, which offers internet, TV, and telephone services, became the first provider in the United States to deliver up to 1 Gig (1,000 Mbps) internet speeds utilizing a community-wide fiber optic network which is accessible to every home and business in its service area. In 2015, EPB became the first, and to date, only American ISP to make up to 10 Gig (10,000 Mbps) internet speeds accessible to all its residential and commercial customers as a standard offer.

EPB has also utilized its community-wide fiber optic network to deploy the most advanced and highly automated smart grid power management system in the nation. In recognition of EPB’s groundbreaking infrastructure, the Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are utilizing EPB’s smart grid as a national model for researching and developing best practices. EPB is also the first major power distribution utility to earn the USGBC’s PEER certification for having a highly automated, modernized electric power grid.

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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