CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Dec. 20, 2024) – In support of EPB’s effort to further enhance energy reliability and resilience for customers while containing costs as much as possible, the EPB Board of Directors has authorized the municipal utility to work with local businesses to install localized energy resources of 5MW or less at locations that will benefit both businesses and the community. This action streamlines the process for EPB to work with interested organizations across the area. These projects will fall within the budget the EPB board approved at the outset of the current fiscal year.

Installing additional localized energy resources is part of EPB’s overarching strategy to enhance the EPB Local Energy Mix to better serve the community. EPB has been reaching out to area businesses that could benefit from providing locations for localized energy resources. Businesses that host equipment can enjoy enhanced electric service resiliency if they experience an outage. These installations also help keep rates low over time by reducing peak demand charges (the overall monthly charge to purchase energy from TVA) for all customers and increase energy capacity to prepare for future community needs. Comparable projects are already in operation to add resilience to critical community assets, including the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport and the Chattanooga Police Service Center.

“The energy industry is experiencing unprecedented demand, and we are focused on continuing to build the EPB Local Energy Mix to preserve dependable power through innovative, cost-effective solutions,” said EPB CEO David Wade. “Localized energy resources are an important tool to strengthen our business economy by protecting against outages and, at the same time, keep costs low for all customers.

As previously announced, EPB set the goal of growing local energy storage capacity to about 150MW, or 10-15% of the area’s peak demand for electricity. Currently, EPB operates 6MW of energy storage in its service area.

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About EPB

EPB is a customer-focused technology company that delivers innovative power and telecommunications solutions to the Chattanooga area in pursuit of its mission to enhance the quality of life for the community it serves. In 2010, EPB completed a 100% fiber optic network accessible to all its customers as the basis for launching America’s first community-wide Gig speed internet. The company still operates the world’s fastest community-wide internet service today at speeds up to 25 Gig. EPB also utilizes Chattanooga’s fiber optic network as the communications backbone for the most advanced and highly automated power distribution system in the United States. In 2022, EPB continued its commitment to keeping Chattanooga on the cutting edge by establishing our nation’s first commercially available quantum network—EPB Quantum Network℠ powered by Qubitekk. This effort aligns local job creation efforts with the national priority to accelerate the commercialization of quantum technology.

Since switching the lights on for its first electric customer in 1939, EPB has grown to serve nearly a half a million people across a 600-square-mile service area with cutting-edge infrastructure that integrates power distribution and telecommunications. At the same time, EPB keeps customer benefit at the center of all its efforts, earning national recognition for customer service for nine consecutive years. Learn more at epb.com.