Home Uplift reduces energy usage to improve quality of life

In August 2022, EPB and TVA celebrated the completion of the 600^th Home Uplift energy renovation and announced a joint $1 million investment to keep the program going strong.

Through Home Uplift, EPB Energy Pros and TVA EnergyRight^® work with neighbors in need to provide substantial home energy upgrades at no charge to reduce their energy bills and improve air quality through improvements such as home sealing, duct replacement, water heater and pipe insulation, wall insulation and HVAC cleaning and tune up.

“Home Uplift helps me reap the benefits of better home energy efficiency all year long. My energy bill dropped so low that I called EPB to make sure it wasn't a scam. I can use my savings on more things I need like groceries and other bills.” — Ezra Harris, Home Uplift recipient.

On average, EPB's Home Uplift participants save more than $400 on their energy costs each year, with those who have the highest energy burden saving much more.

Maintaining our infrastructure protects our community

Although EPB employees take pride in serving our customers as first responders when Chattanooga's infrastructure is damaged, outage management begins long before storms or other challenges are in the forecast. EPB Field Operations performs preventative maintenance every day to resolve as many potential issues as possible before they become outages.

• Pole inspections: EPB continuously inspects utility poles to assess them for structural integrity. We proactively replace approximately 500 to 600 poles every year. This schedule ensures all poles are inspected on a regular basis and replaced when they begin to deteriorate.
• Upsizing infrastructure: EPB Field Operations teams also proactively scale up infrastructure to meet the increasing demands of areas experiencing rapid growth, allowing development to move uninterrupted and supporting our local economy.
• Vegetation Management: Fallen trees and branches do more damage to the local power grid than any other single cause. EPB maintains a continual schedule of vegetation management to proactively identify and trim trees and other vegetation which might cause problems before storms move through the Chattanooga area. EPB is also committed to maintaining the health of trees and preserving Chattanooga's natural beauty. That's why we employ professional arborists to oversee tree trimming and cutting. In addition, the EPB Energy Pros provide free expert advice and educational resources for customers to help prevent future outages, like planting trees at least the distance of their mature height away from power lines.

By using these and other preventative measures to improve power resiliency and reliability, EPB crews preserve our community's quality of life.

2,000 free trees and planting tips bring “ReLeaf”

EPB joined the City of Chattanooga and Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center to give away 2,000 trees to residents in our service area through the Free Tree ReLeaf program. Trees improve stormwater drainage, support cleaner air and create cooler neighborhoods; when mature, total trees given away are expected to reduce stormwater runoff by more than 2 million gallons.

“Thanks to the partnership of organizations like EPB and the City of Chattanooga, Reflection Riding can expand our focus on restoring and conserving the ecology of our area. Free Tree ReLeaf helps proliferate native plants that thrive in our region and introduce more people to a measurable way they can support nature.” — Mark McKnight, President & CEO, Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center

To ensure trees get a good head start, EPB Energy Pros arborists provided educational materials to help residents understand where to plant trees to avoid future interference with power lines and unwanted outages.

In addition to creating safer, healthier communities, trees can provide relief from hot summer sun or cold winter winds when planted in the right locations, thanks to the advice provided by EPB Energy Pros.

Helping customers save $1.2 million with free LED light bulbs

How long does it take to distribute 8,000 LED light bulbs to families in need?

It only takes one morning, thanks to the dedication of 200 EPB and TVA volunteers. EPB Energy Pros led the activity on September 16, as part of United Way of Greater Chattanooga's Impact Days, joining volunteer efforts across Chattanooga to commemorate United Way of Greater Chattanooga's 100th anniversary.

The cumulative savings of all bulbs distributed during Impact Days will be more than $1.2 million.

LED bulbs are safe, long-lasting and sustainable alternatives that any household can use:

• Safer: LEDs emit less heat, so touching them won't cause burns or fires.
• Last longer: LEDs last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs, so they don't need to be changed as often.
• Brightness: LEDs light up an entire room while using less energy. Bulbs are available in a variety of shades and can suit dimmable switches.

According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, many households behind on energy bills were also more likely to fall behind on rent. ACEEE recommended implementing efficiency measures, like switching to LED bulbs, as a way to decrease energy costs and help lessees stay current on rent.