The American Public Power Association's Demonstration of Energy & Efficiency Developments (DEED) program is the only research and demonstration program funded by and for public power utilities. DEED offers an extensive database of actionable project ideas for utilities to improve operations and achieve new efficiencies. Preview some of these groundbreaking DEED projects. Read about new ideas and approaches to energy efficiency, renewables, and lighting that have been tried and tested by other utilities like yours. And learn about new opportunities for grants, scholarships, and access to the project database. This is all in the latest issue of the program's newsletter, the DEED Digest. CONTENTS • Fun inDEED! A Birthday Bash, Steroids, and More • Frozen! Ice Storage Shifts A/C Load to Off-Peak Hours • A Steady Wind — Using Compressed Air Energy Storage for More Wind Power • On Board — New DEED Board Members • Apply for DEED Fall Grants by Aug. 15 • Compare and Safe: Energy Efficiency Benchmarking Tools • DEED at the 2015 National Conference • New Books and Resources • DEED Scholarship Projects • New Grants and Scholarships • What We Learned About Public Power The content in DEED Digest is open to all APPA members. However, access to the DEED project database and funding applications is restricted to DEED members. And if you're not yet a DEED member, now is the time to join. DEED membership is open to all public power utilities, joint action agencies, and state and regional associations that are members of APPA.

Commissioners at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently offered their thoughts on the Obama administration's final rule on the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants. While several commissioners expressed appreciation that the EPA participated in commission technical conferences earlier this year on the Clean Power Plan, they also said that the Clean Power Plan will lead to a "major transformation" of the regulation of the electricity sector and that as various compliance plans come together, FERC must take a "leadership role."

As we all know, the state is unique in that all electricity is generated by the federal agency TVA, so Tennessee’s plan will be tied at the hip with TVA. Under the original proposed rules, TVA’s biggest criticism was it failed to receive credit for the nuclear plants currently under construction, Watts Bar 2. Also, TVA was not given credit for emissions reductions it has been carrying out in the past decade under an existing agreement with the EPA. Tennessee and TVA were looking at the possibility, like most other states, that to comply with these new rules would require significant capital outlays to build new power plants with lower carbon dioxide emissions or modify existing power plants. Significant, unplanned capital outlays mean high rates for electric ratepayers. However, if TVA and Tennessee are given the credit for lower emissions because of Watts Bar 2 and its other emissions reductions, TVA could possibly avoid spending significant sums on new power plants.

Thought you might find this article from Ceres interesting. Electric Power Industry is Transitioning to Lower-Carbon Sources and Positioned to Meet New EPA Carbon Standards A new report on U.S. power plant emissions from the country’s top 100 electric power producers shows a downward trend in nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxides (SO2), mercury and carbon dioxide (CO2) since 2000, with CO2 emissions decreasing 13 percent between 2008 and 2012. The findings show that the industry is already shifting toward a combination of increased energy efficiency and lower carbon fuel sources, which should help it meet new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) carbon standards expected to be announced on June 2nd.

The demands of the new energy economy, emerging technologies, changing regulatory requirements, changing customer expectations and demographics, and hiring challenges are pressing public power managers to examine all aspects of utility management and operations. For guidance on utility best practices from professionals who have worked with hundreds of public power organizations, bring in the staff of Hometown Connections to conduct an Organization Check Up (OCU). With expertise in the energy industry and municipal governance, Hometown Connections offers guidance from a trusted entity with public power’s best interests in mind.

This is the 3rd issue of our new digital newsletter. Hopefully you've seen the first two issues. If this is being forwarded to you, let us know and we’ll be sure to get you on the mailing list. If you have other folks you'd like to start receiving it just let us know. We'll be happy to add them. That goes for your employees and, especially, your board of directors. Our hope is that this new communications tool will not only give you more timely information but also give each of our systems the opportunity to post stories/news/information about their company.

On July 27 at the 2015 Annual Meeting in Breckenridge, Colo., Hometown Connections announced award winners in recognition of their outstanding efforts and results in support of the organization and the public power community. The Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association and the Texas Public Power Association shared the award for the Hometown Connections 2015 Marketing Affiliate of the Year. "Throughout the year, TMEPA supported the mission of Hometown Connections by sharing information about the ways in which our products and services can help public power systems improve their operational performance and service to the community," said Tim Blodgett, President & CEO. "We are honored to have TMEPA as part of the Hometown organization and look forward to many more years of serving public power together."

"Well, looks like your dad is on another kick." I’m not sure how many times my wife said that to the kids as they were growing up, but it was enough for them to recognize what a "kick" looked like. This sudden and deep interest in the subject of the day would often manifest itself in a purchase that may seem indulgent looking back, but was perfectly justifiable — in my head — at the time. The geocaching equipment (where are we?). The yellow canoe (it was on sale). The fiddle (has anyone seen the cat lately?). When I get on a kick, I’m all in. But like so many of you, my memories (and closets) are filled with the leftovers of projects I jumped on with great enthusiasm, only to lose interest when the next new thing came along. Is that how communications works at your company? Do you try one approach a while, then jump to something else after just a few weeks or months? Sometimes this is not a matter of losing interest or becoming distracted, but more about getting discouraged. If you don’t see results quickly (just imagine my fiddle-playing), are you ready to declare this whole communicating kick a failure and go back to the status quo?

It all began in August of 1987 without warning or fanfare. Suddenly, there they were with their tents, tables, RVs and trailers loaded down with dishes, jewelry, tools, furniture, arts and crafts, and stuff I didn’t even recognize. Hour after hour they kept appearing in flights like invaders from another galaxy. On that fateful Saturday morning in 1987, your humble correspondent backed out of the garage and merged onto Signal Mountain Boulevard en route to the nearby grocery store in search of a carton of orange juice and a bag of ice, completely unaware of the turmoil that awaited. From the house to Pruett’s Signal Mountain Market is exactly 2.7 miles. By the time I made it home 56 minutes later, the ice was in early stages of becoming a bag of water.

In 1899 an ordinance was passed for the issuance of bonds to build an electric plant to light the city of Gallatin, and electric service for the citizens of Gallatin began. A new generating plant was purchased in 1911 for the ever -ncreasing load. Mr. L.D. Hix was appointed Superintendent in 1919. Kentucky-Tennessee Light & Power bought the electric system from the City of Gallatin in 1927 for $110,000. After 27 years of operation, the city electric department became a private company. Mr. Hix was retained as the Superintendent and served in that position until 1959. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was created by an act of Congress on May 19, 1933 and began supplying power to the Tennessee Valley. Gallatin city officials signed a TVA contract and purchased the electric system back from Kentucky-Tennessee Light & Power in 1939 for $150,000. The bond referendum to purchase the power system passed with a vote of 569 for and 34 against. The first power contract between TVA and Gallatin was for 800kW.

Stay up to date with various meetings and events for TMEPA Municipal Systems

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW! July 13-15, 2016 Join us next year at our 2016 Annual Meeting, where we'll be also celebrating our 50th Anniversary at the remarkable Omni Hotel in downtown Nashville. Our annual meeting committee is already meeting and putting together a program which will be the best you've ever attended. If you have topics or presenters you'd like the committee to consider, just send us an email.

We are excited to again offer Board Member Training for the benefit of TMEPA member systems. This one-day course has been highly accepted and eagerly anticipated each year. It's not open to just your Board members though -- General Managers and Senior Staff have also found it valuable.

All NJUNS Users, NJUNS will be hosting Tennessee's fourth user meeting on September 9, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern (9:00 a.m. Central). This meeting will be held online via webinar. The following items will be discussed: 1. Inform Users on NJUNS Usage & Activity within the state for 2014-2015 2. Demonstration on PT+ Project Module 3. Demonstration of recent upgrades within NJUNS 4. Collect Feedback and provide open discussion/questions and answers session If you would like to attend the Tennessee User Meeting on September 9th, please visit the link below to register for the webinar.