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Author: UCEMC Communications

The Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation (UCEMC) is an electric power distribution cooperative. UCEMC is owned and operated by its members and distributes electric power through more than 4,600 miles of lines to more than 50,000 members located primarily in Jackson, Overton, Putnam and Smith Counties and northern DeKalb County. Several members are served in “fringe” areas of Clay, Fentress, Macon, Pickett, White, and Wilson Counties.

TVA Planned Outage

UCEMC would like their valued members to be aware of an upcoming TVA planned outage in the Gainesboro and Algood areas.

Gainesboro: **** PLEASE NOTE TIME SHIFTED BY ONE HOUR****

TVA has announced that there will be a planned outage for Gainesboro on Sunday, October 27, 2024. It will last around 6 hours, starting at midnight and ending at 6:00 am. This outage is needed for TVA to replace poles and complete necessary maintenance.

The following areas and communities will be affected by the outage:

Big Bottom, Indian Creek, York Hwy, Celina Hwy, Jennings Creek, New Salem, Gladdice Hwy, McCoinsville Road, Hayden Burg, SR 85, Free State Town of Gainesboro, Parts of Granville Hwy, and Part of Seven Knobs

An alternate date of November 2, 2024, at 11 pm until November 3, 2024, at 5:00 am will be used in case of inclement weather on October 26 and 27.

Algood:

TVA has announced that there will be a planned outage for Algood on November 2, 2024. It will last around 6 hours, starting on November 2nd at 11 pm and ending on November 3rd at 5:00 am. This outage is needed for TVA to complete necessary maintenance on their transmission line.

The following areas and communities will be affected by the outage:

Brotherton Mt, The Overlook, Falling Water Rd , Canada Flatt, Macedonia, Paragon, White Plains, Shenandoah, Stone Hinge , Pennical View, Plantation View, Rockey Point, Part of Shady Lane, Victory View, Rolling Hills, Twin Creeks, Hyder Mountain, Lake Point , Poplar Grove, Mt. Pleasant , and Mountain Top Ln.

The following areas and communities may be affected by the outage:

Hwy. 70 East, Browns Mill, Cherry Creek, Phifer Mountain, Board Valley, White Oak Flatts, East Lake, Sheep Bluff, Mill Creek, Stone Seminary, Hickory Flatts, Indian Hills, Hidden Cove, and Mt. Herman

An alternate date of November 9, 2024, at 11 pm until November 10, 2024, at 5:00 am will be used in case of inclement weather on November 2 or 3.

UCEMC Provides Mutual Aid To Co-op in Need

[Cookeville, TN, September 29, 2024] Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation was fortunate to have only scattered outages in our area in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene. Unfortunately, other areas were left with widespread damage and power outages. UCEMC has stepped up to provide critical mutual aid to Rutherford Electric Membership Corporative in North Carolina who currently have over 52,000 members without power. This morning we sent 15 of our dedicated team members to assist in restoring power to those affected in North Carolina. REMC has reported that 26 of their 46 substations are damaged and there are more than 200 broken poles to fix. UCEMC has received mutual aid in the past and now we’re honored to lend a hand in REMC’s time of need. We wish safety to our Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporative team, other co-ops assisting in power restoration, and all those affected by Tropical Storm Helene.

Mutual aid is a long-standing agreement between electric cooperatives where crews are dispatched to assist other co-ops during major outages or disasters. Cookeville’s District Manager, Jason Moss explains, “We agree to provide mutual aid to our neighboring co-ops and vice versa. All 22 co-ops in Tennessee and all the co-ops in the neighboring 7 states, which is the Tennessee Valley are part of that cooperative mutual aid.” By sharing resources and expertise, together we are able to restore power faster and keep communities safe. Helping each other is what being a cooperative is all about.

Our crews are equipped with everything they need to tackle this challenge head on including rain gear, bucket trucks, diggers, tools, and supplies. They are prepared to work long hours in tough conditions to bring power back to the communities in North Carolina. While the job can be physically demanding, the team is highly trained and experienced in handling storm recovery efforts. “You don’t go down there unprepared. You usually prepare to stay 2 weeks when you go” said Jason, “There’s nothing worse than getting in a storm situation without everything you need because nobody down there has power. So you don’t run to the local Walmart and get what you need. You better bring it with you if you want it.”

“You gotta keep safety at first and foremost to make sure the guys come back home,” said foreman Brandon Rigsby. The safety of our team is always a top priority and Rutherford Electric Membership Cooperative is doing everything it can to ensure our team is working in a safe environment. One of the ways the local corporative helps keep our crews safe is by assigning a birddog. “A birddog is an agent of the local cooperative that we’re working for that knows the area and knows the system. Because we’re going into unfamiliar area. We can’t just go out there and find a line down and start working on that because the potential for somebody to energize something on you is great,” explains Jason. The birddog will help protect our crews while they’re in the field.

UCEMC has received mutual aid before and now it is our turn to give back. That is what mutual aid is all about- neighbors helping neighbors when the going gets tough. Another co-op from Tennessee, Tri-Cities Electric Membership Corporative, is also going to help Rutherford EMC. This is not the first time that we have worked with Tri-Cities EMC. They came to our aid when we faced an ice storm in 2021.

While part of our team is away assisting others, we want to assure our members that we remain fully staffed here at home. Our commitment to your safety and service never waivers.

“Electricity is a necessity, you can’t go without it so we are going to help other people” said Brandon. “Every lineman has been in REMC’s situation. Our cooperative has been in that situation and it’s very overwhelming. Each and every one of these linemen knows what that feels like to have their whole community devastated through the tornadoes, the ice storms, and the major weather events that we’ve experienced here. So they are very glad to go help these people because we know exactly what they’re going through right now” said Jason, “We’re going to need mutual aid from people again. It’s the same all across the Tennessee Valley, everybody is going to need mutual aid at some time. We all make sure that we give all we can to everybody else, and then that always comes back to us in return.”

UCEMC wants to encourage anyone who wants to help to donate to local disaster relief efforts, the Red Cross, or other organizations in the affected area for other ways to support their recovery. At the end of the day, safety is and always will be the most important thing, both for our crews and for the communities we serve. We’re proud to help others and we know that should we ever need it again we can count on them to do the same.

It’s more than just powerlines. It’s about people.

Ensuring Safety On The Interstate

While scouting the cause of outages today, Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation’s team saw a power line that was hanging dangerously low across the interstate. This posed a serious safety hazard to the drivers on Interstate 40 in Cookeville. Our team contacted the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Department of Transportation, and PLC Traffic Control to assist with this situation. Thanks to their quick response to the scene, the interstate was shut down for a short time to ensure no vehicles would unknowingly drive into harm’s way. While this was inconvenient for drivers, our focus was clear, safety first.


We work hard to maintain a resilient power distribution system, but it is difficult to prevent outages during an event like a tropical storm. This was an unexpected and tricky situation because the electrical pole was broken about 30 feet above the ground and was dangling causing the power line to hang low. The line was across the interstate in a curve at the bottom of a very steep hill making matters more difficult. Closing the interstate was imperative to the safety of our community.


Our crews worked in the rain and the wind to remove the line, set a new pole, and restore power to the area. We worked with the local phone company and Charter Communications to make sure everything was safe and restored.

We are proud to work alongside the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Department of Transportation, and PLC Traffic Control, and would like to extend our gratitude for their partnership. We are also proud of our lineman who braved the storm to keep our community safe.

While outages and road closures can be frustrating, we appreciate the patience of those affected. The safety of our communities will always come first. As a reminder, always stay away from downed power lines or damaged electric equipment and report these situations immediately to UCEMC at 1-800-261-2940.

Safety first, always.

TVA Announces Rate Increase

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has announced a 5.25% increase to the rates it charges UCEMC for power, effective October 1, 2024. The TVA region is growing three times faster than the national average. To address the need for more electricity, TVA is investing nearly $16 billion through FY 2027 to build new generation, enhance the reliability of existing assets and for initial infrastructure The agency is building ~3,500 megawatts of new generation, TVA has made great progress by completing 1,400 megawatts and securing 800 megawatts of solar this year.

To fund ongoing construction and energy development, the TVA board approved a 5.25% base rate increase that will take effect Oct. 1, 2024. With an average residential bill at about $138, this increase will translate to about an additional $4.35 each month, compared to October 2023.

Please note, UCEMC does not retain any portion of the TVA increase. As your local, member owned Cooperative, UCEMC remains dedicated to deliver safe and reliable power at the best value to enhance life in our community.

2024 Directorate Election Results Announced

Hundreds of Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation members turned out at district office polls on Friday and Saturday, voting to fill seats on the UCEMC Board of Directors in districts one, two, and three.

In District One, consisting of Smith, DeKalb, Wilson, and Macon counties, Bradley West was unopposed and received 540 votes.

Incumbent Board member Rony Myers received 399 votes and Mike Bowman received 479 votes. Mr. Bowman wins the seat in District Two consisting of Putnam and White counties.

Tim Sells was unopposed in District Three, comprising Overton, Clay, Fentress, and Pickett counties and received 578 votes.

86th Annual Meeting of the Members

The food, fun, music, and prizes are only days away as Upper Cumberland EMC presents the Annual Meeting of the Members.

This year’s event is on Saturday, September 14th and once again held at the beautiful Catesa Farms, 11 Catesa Farms Lane Riddleton, TN.

Registration begins at 9 am and the Business Meeting begins at 10 am.

Come and enjoy Fried Fish, Entertainment, and Door Prizes. Other activities include: Kid-friendly activities,
Member Services booths, and of course Ice Cold Watermelon!

TVA STEM Classroom Grant

The Tennessee Valley Authority’s STEM Classroom Grant Program for science, technology, engineering and math education is now open for applications through Sep. 15. The program is providing $1.5 million to fund STEM learning projects in classrooms and schools across TVA’s seven-state service area and is sponsored by TVA in partnership with the TVA retiree organization, Bicentennial Volunteers Inc.

UCEMC Announces Retail Rate Adjustment to Enhance Electric Service Reliability

Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation (UCEMC) will implement a retail rate adjustment of 3.5 percent, effective August 1, 2024. This adjustment is necessary to address the rising costs associated with maintaining and improving reliable electric service, including essential services such as infrastructure upgrades like poles and transformers, tree trimming and other maintenance. These updates are crucial to meeting the growing demand from our customers across UCEMC’s service areas in Smith, Putnam, Jackson, Overton, and fringe areas of DeKalb, Macon, Wilson, White, Clay, Fentress, and Pickett counties.

Residential customers using an average of 1,500 kilowatt hours per month can expect their monthly bill to increase by approximately $5.61. This adjustment reflects the ongoing commitment to ensuring the highest quality of service despite the increasing equipment and operational costs.

Costs of distribution equipment has risen dramatically. For example: pole costs are up 65%; transformers – 25%-300%, and wire – 25%. The current adjustment is a necessary step to continue providing reliable and efficient service to our over 53,000 meters and 4,700 miles of power lines across our service area, primarily located in Smith, Putnam, Jackson, and Overton counties. UCEMC’s corporate headquarters is located in Carthage, Tennessee.

We appreciate the continued support and understanding of our members as we work to enhance and sustain the quality of service you rely on every day. UCEMC’s members enjoy some of the lowest electric rates in the country.

Meet the 2024 Washington Youth Tour Delegates

The Washington Youth Tour is loading up the buses in a few weeks, and four high school juniors will pack their bags to represent Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation on the trip. Winners of the UCEMC Creative Writing and Scholarship Competition not only earned spots on the once-in-a-lifetime tour of our nation’s capital with 2,000 other students from across the country, but they also score a $1,000 scholarship and qualify for additional trips and even more money toward their college education.

Ethan Hooks
Tashana & Chris Hooks
Jean Silvano
Becky & Walter Key
Chloe Ledbetter
April Gentry & Andrew Ledbetter
Riley Vinson
Amanda & Ryan Vinson


Students submitted their 900-word short story entitled “Co-ops Connect” and competed with dozens of high school juniors in their district. Ethan Hooks attends Livingston Academy, Jean Silvano is a junior at Gordonsville High, Chloe Ledbetter is from Jackson County High and Riley Vinson is from Upperman High School.

Each day of the Washington Youth Tour brings more impressive sights, opportunities for photos, and lots of memories. Among the activities on the agenda are tours of Washington D.C. and all its landmarks, memorials, and museums. Highlights include the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Capitol, Mount Vernon, and Monticello. Tennessee’s electric cooperatives pay food, travel, and lodging expenses, but the benefits of the Youth Tour go far beyond an expense-paid trip.

Students get help to pay for their college education with scholarships of $3,000, $2,000, or $1,000 awarded by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association if their story is considered one of the state’s top three. In addition to scholarships provided by the electric co-ops, Union University in Jackson and Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City have recognized the leadership potential of Youth Tour delegates. The universities have agreed to provide dozens of scholarships worth up to $10,000 annually for four years.

Will your teen be a high school junior next year? Don’t miss the call for entries in January 2025! Learn more about the Washington Youth Tour at youthtour.tnelectric.org.

TVA EnergyRight School Uplift and STEM grants

TVA partners with Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation (UCEMC) to Award $10,000 grants to local schools in the cooperative service area through the School Uplift Program.

On May 2nd TVA announced that the following UCEMC area schools each received a $10,000 Learning Environment grant through Tennessee Valley Authority’s School Uplift program:

  • Defeated Elementary                    
  • Gordonsville High School             
  • Hilham Elementary                       
  • Rickman Elementary                     
  • Upper Middle School                   
  • White Plains Academy                  

Tight budgets and aging buildings leave many schools facing a difficult decision between funding learning programs and making needed facility upgrades. Since 2021, TVA’s $7.87 million School Uplift program has helped 225 public schools in the seven-state region solve that problem.

School Uplift’s year-long energy management training program helps public school districts make smart energy choices that improve the classroom learning environment and save money through decreased energy use. Participating schools compete to earn grants by cutting their energy waste through behavioral changes and by engaging students, faculty, staff, and community.

“School Uplift is another way we’ve partnered with TVA to invest in our community,” said Wanda Geho. “We are so excited the schools were awarded the grant, which will enable administrators to improve facilities and make the school more efficient, healthy, and comfortable for teachers and students. The faculty, staff, and students committed to prioritizing energy efficiency over the last school year and earned this grant through their hard work.”

On average, participating schools have saved nearly 10% on their annual energy bills from behavior changes alone.  When savings from grant-funded energy upgrades are added, this year’s School Uplift participants have estimated total energy savings of 9 GWh or the amount of electricity used by 1,241 homes in one year.

“Every dollar invested in our schools helps districts allocate resources to where it matters most – educating our children,” said Monika Beckner, vice president of TVA’s Energy Services & Programs. “We’re inspired by the winners of this year’s School Uplift grants and proud of their dedication to reducing energy waste and building a sustainable future for us all.”

Recently, TVA’s School Uplift program was recognized as a 2024 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year by ENERGY STAR, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

TVA EnergyRight and UCEMC will continue to recruit public K-12 schools for the 2024-2025 program. Visit www.tva.com/EnergyRight.com/school-uplift  to express interest in participating in this exciting program.

TVA STEM Classroom Grants

The grant is sponsored by the Tennessee Valley Authority in partnership with Bicentennial Volunteers Inc., a TVA retiree organization, to develop science, technology, engineering, and math education projects to help spark student interest in future careers in STEM-related fields.

The grant program for 2023 opened in early August of 2023 and closed on September 15th, 2023. TVA notified each county’s Director of Schools about the program.  Wanda shared, “I contacted each of our eligible schools by phone to explain the program opportunities. I’m proud of our local schools, and I knew they could compete for the $1.5 million grants awarded across the Tennessee Valley.”  Check were delivered to each school in March, 2024.

Highlights of the program:

  • Teachers can apply for funding up to $5,000 for STEM projects with preference given to applications that explore TVA’s primary area of focus: environment, energy, economic and career development, and community problem-solving.
  • Eligible applicants are teachers or school administrators in public or private schools, grades K-12.

Teachers across TVA’s seven-state region applied for funding and over 240 applications were selected in 2023 – 2024.

UCEMC CEO/GM Jennifer Brogdon said, “We are proud to serve all of these schools. I applaud their leadership and teaching staff for using this award to spark interest in STEM. Getting today’s boys and girls interested in science, technology, engineering and math careers is so important, and we hope some of them will work for UCEMC one day”.

The following schools were awarded STEM Grants:

$1,000 Award

A H Roberts Elementary        

$5,000 Award’s

Algood Middle                        

Allons Elementary                  

Jackson Co Middle                

Livingston Middle School       

New Middleton Elementary   

Rickman Elementary             

Vital School                            

ABOUT TVA

The Tennessee Valley Authority is the nation’s largest public power supplier, delivering energy to 10 million people across seven southeastern states. TVA was established 90 years ago to serve this region and the nation by developing innovative solutions to solve complex challenges. TVA’s unique mission focuses on energy, environmental stewardship, and economic development. With one of the largest, most diverse, and cleanest energy systems – including nuclear, hydro, solar, gas, and advanced technologies – TVA is a leader in our nation’s drive toward a clean energy future.

TVA is a corporate agency of the United States, receiving no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation, and land management for the Tennessee River system, and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation. Learn more at Energy System of the Future.

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