Nashville Electric Service (NES) and TVA were founded on a mission to serve — through reliable and affordable energy, a safe and protected environment and thriving economic development.

As part of its commitment to environmental sustainability and carbon reduction, NES joined TVA’s Green Invest program. Participation allows NES to help Vanderbilt University reach carbon neutrality by powering the campus solely with renewable energy. The university’s greenhouse emissions will be reduced by solar power generated from two farms, located in Bedford and Moore counties. Nashville-based Silicon Ranch Corporation, one of the largest independent solar power producers in the U.S., will construct, own and operate the solar facilities. This partnership aims to encourage further economic development in the area by attracting and retaining jobs and investment in the community.

Resiliency, innovation and a commitment to community powers NES. As so many in this service area know, Nashville has been through some tough times over the past 10 plus years. Natural disasters and weather events have devastated the area, including the 2010 flood and the 2020 tornado.

Many in the area have struggled financially and emotionally, fell ill and lost lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then the region was shocked by the Christmas Day bombing of downtown Nashville in 2020. But these difficult events haven’t stopped the city of Nashville or NES from staying “Nashville Strong,” as Paula Geruntino, NES customer relations manager says.

During these unprecedented times, NES has been there to get the power back on and customers back on their feet as quickly as possible. Geruntino said the partnership between NES and TVA has been an important part of recovery efforts, from restoring power after outages to volunteer cleanup after the tornado, to utility bill assistance for residents, business owners and employees affected by the Christmas Day bombing. “Our working together [with TVA] means a partnership of service that touches every single customer,” Geruntino said.

Assisting customers in crisis is a top priority at NES, so to provide them with easy access to resources, NES created NEShelps.com. The website provides a list of economic resources to customers, including $17 million in relief funds made possible by a partnership between NES and TVA. Part of the funding was used as a COVID-19 credit on customer bills during the pandemic and the remaining $7 million was managed by NeedLink Nashville to help those in need pay down past-due balances. Resources on the site also include links to the United Way of Greater Nashville’s Nashville Response Fund page and other social service agencies.

NES also participates in TVA EnergyRight’s Home Uplift Program to help income-qualified homeowners in the service area weatherize their homes. Geruntino says she is a “big advocate” for weatherization programs, and is proud that NES will soon have assisted 400 homes in the community through the program, which is supported by grants from TVA and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC).

Not only does Home Uplift help ensure that customers’ homes are more energy-efficient and their power bills are lower, but it also has many other “non-energy benefits,” as Geruntino notes. Making these energy upgrades ensures better health and safety for customers, which allows them to stay in their homes and neighborhoods. From cleaner air that can help to improve respiratory conditions, to joint pain relief and fewer doctor visits, weatherizing a home can improve quality of life in many ways.

Geruntino says the core mission of NES, “To provide safe, reliable, and cost-efficient power to all customers,” is more important than ever.