Neighbors Powering What Matters

Community Energy: the benefit of Springfield Electric and TVA working together
Community Energy

Community Energy—In Springfield, Tenn., Our Power Means More

Our region is powered by a public power model — owned by and accountable to the people who live here. So the initiatives we invest in through our power model serve one purpose: helping our communities thrive.

Because we support public power, we all benefit from Community Energy. It’s the progress our model enables — like more job opportunities thanks to thriving and growing communities, outdoor recreation made possible by our protected lands, cleaner energy sources, and much more.

A Partnership of Service

Springfield Electric Department and TVA work together to power not just our homes and businesses, but our potential too — by combining efforts to help create a future we all believe in.

Working Together to Make Life in Our Community Better

Economic Development and Energy Upgrades

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

Nestled along the Cumberland River, among the rolling hills of the northern border of Middle Tennessee, Springfield is an agricultural community located in Robertson County. The population is continuing to grow due to its proximity to booming Nashville and the increase in local manufacturing.

Jessica Thoms, energy service advisor for SED says they partner with TVA on a variety of programs and initiatives to support both residents and businesses in the Springfield community.

In December 2020, Electrolux Home Products announced a $300 million expansion to their Springfield cooking appliances facility, which produces wall ovens and freestanding gas and electric ranges. The plans include constructing a new plant that included an R&D facility to produce new innovations in cooking, a 60-foot-wide underground tunnel and a warehouse.

As of June 2021, the warehouse has opened and the factory was expected to begin operations later in 2021. The company predicts that the warehouse will help to reduce the company’s carbon footprint by cutting 10,500 18-wheeler truckloads from the road each year. Thoms says SED is proud to partner with TVA to provide affordable and reliable power to support this expansion.

SED also participates in TVA EnergyRight® programs to offer residential customers solutions to help save money on their electric bills and make their homes more energy-efficient. From low interest, fixed-rate loans with no money down to purchase high-efficiency electric heat pumps to energy upgrade home evaluations, participating customers have several options available to them to make energy upgrades to their homes.

To help all customers save money on their power bills, SED recently began partnering with TVA’s Home Uplift program, which provides energy upgrades to qualifying customers. Thoms said the team at SED was thrilled to help their first Home Uplift participant, Emma Hyde, whose 60-year-old house desperately needed new windows and attic insulation. They installed new windows and replaced insulation.

These energy upgrades help senior residents like Mrs. Hyde to remain safely and comfortably in their homes and neighborhoods. Thoms sums up SED’s commitment to their customers, “Making all our customers feel like they matter is important to us.”

Our energy has fueled progress in our region since 1933. See the ways it's helping shape our future.

Resources for Your Home, Business and Life

Our partnership makes helpful programs like these possible.

Economic Development

Springfield Electric works with TVA Economic Development to attract new companies and bring more jobs to the area and to help existing businesses and industries grow in a sustainable way.

In December 2020, Electrolux Home Products announced a $300 million expansion to their Springfield facility, which produces wall ovens and cooking ranges.

The plans include a new plant, a 60-foot-wide underground tunnel, and a new warehouse. The warehouse has opened and the new factory is expected to begin operations later in 2021.

TVA Economic Development serves the seven states that make up the TVA service area—almost all of Tennessee and parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky. TVA partnerships with other economic development organizations, help to foster capital investment and job growth in the region.

Discover all the resources designed to help you manage your energy use and boost your bottom line.

Education

Springfield Electric Department (SED) and TVA work together to support community-wide learning about energy efficiency, meet STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) objectives and provide opportunities to develop skills that can prepare students for careers in technical fields. 

TVA STEM Grants

Teachers in public schools that receive power from a TVA distributor can win STEM grants up to $5,000. In 2022 alone, TVA distributed $1 million, in partnership with Bicentennial Volunteers Incorporated, a TVA retiree organization, and the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network. TVA gives preference to applications covering its primary areas of focus–environment, energy, economic development, and community problem solving.

SED is proud of Springfield Middle School for winning a TVA STEM Grant in 2018.

TVA EnergyRight® School Uplift 

Schools enrolled in TVA EnergyRight® School Uplift receive infrastructure upgrades to reduce energy costs and improve the quality of the learning environment. Heating, cooling and lighting improvements are the tip of the iceberg, however as the program’s focus is long-term learning for communities. Students and faculty at chosen schools receive behavior-based strategic energy management (SEM) training and learn easy, actionable energy saving tips and energy efficiency practices.  

TVA EnergyRight Educational Workshops

Eye Spy Energy Kids’ Workshop

TVA EnergyRight and SED partner to bring Spark, Bolt, Zap and their other EnergyRight Monster friends to elementary schools across the community, teaching students where energy comes from, how we use it and ways to save at home. Students can continue the energy-saving fun with their families using Eye Spy Energy Kits.

EnergyRight® Energy Monsters

TVA and local power companies partner up to bring EnergyRight® Energy Monsters workshops to schools to teach where energy comes from, how we use it and ways to save at home. Students can take home Eye Spy Energy Kits to continue the energy savings fun with their families.

Education

Reliability

Springfield Electric partners with TVA to provide safe, reliable, clean power to service area customers.

TVA supplies community energy to 153 local power companies and about 60 large industrial customers and federal facilities at the lowest feasible cost. Over half of the electricity generated by TVA comes from carbon-free resources. TVA’s diverse energy portfolio includes coal, gas, nuclear and hydroelectric plants as well as renewable resources. For over 20 years, TVA’s transmission system has achieved a reliability rate of 99.999 percent.

Reliability

Residential

Springfield Electric partners with TVA to help customers make smart energy decisions and save money through TVA EnergyRight.

Our partnership with TVA EnergyRight offers you resources to help with your home’s energy needs. From DIY energy-saving advice to finding a local contractor you can trust, TVA EnergyRight resources can help you improve your home’s energy efficiency and save money on your power bill.

In 2021, SED assisted its first customer in its service area with energy efficiency upgrades through TVA EnergyRight’s Home Uplift program.

TVA EnergyRight’s Home Uplift helps families with limited means achieve a better home life by making energy upgrades that not only save money on their monthly bills, but also improve their quality of life.

Limited-income customers often live in residences that are older and less energy efficient, which typically means higher power bills. Comfortable, safe living conditions help reduce colds and sickness and help seniors to age in place in their homes.

Community Energy - Residential