BrightRidge

The Board received an overview of the Seven States Power Corporation and its clean energy initiative, the Energy Express Project. Discussions included the potential implementation of a 20 megawatt battery energy storage system. Reports on monthly power distributor performance and broadband financial statements were reviewed and approved. The Board authorized the renewal of a transformer rebuild contract, workers' compensation insurance, and pollution liability insurance. Additionally, a retirement resolution for a long-term employee was adopted, a request for unclaimed property balance funds from the State Treasurer was approved, and the utility's Occupational Safety and Health Program Plan was updated. The meeting concluded with an overview of the Information Technology department's infrastructure and support metrics.

The Board meeting covered several key items, including approval of power distributor reports for the Tennessee Valley Authority and financial statements for the Broadband Division. The Board accepted an updated Aid to Construction charge schedule and approved the proposal for the upcoming annual and federal single audits. Additionally, the Board adopted a resolution commending a retiring employee for his years of service and authorized early equipment purchases for the upcoming capital budget. The session also included an operations overview highlighting various departments, updates on preparations for a regional rodeo event, and progress reports on the Gray Solar Farm project.

The board reviewed the annual safety report, including statistics on man-hours worked, injuries, fleet vehicle accidents, and safety training. Financial reports for the energy and broadband divisions were presented, detailing usage, revenue, income growth, and fund balances. The board approved the broadband division's purchase of fiber for the BEAD project and authorized a transfer of funds for the purchase of new AED devices. Additionally, the board approved an interdivisional loan agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority and issued a retirement resolution for a long-serving employee. Key operational updates included a report on field engineering and customer growth trends, information regarding upcoming event hosting opportunities, and notifications about the closure of significant load customers and local business expansion efforts.

The board discussed several items, including the postponement of the Annual Safety Report presentation. An update was provided on the progress of the Gray Solar Farm projects, including construction timelines and manufacturing details. Consent agenda items included the approval of equipment purchases for meters, AMI modules, and a bucket truck. The board also approved adjustments to the fiscal year capital budget to reflect project efficiencies and prioritize certain engineering initiatives. Furthermore, the board reviewed takeaways from a recent legislative session, discussed upcoming legislation concerning power utilities, and received a report on the successful deployment of crews to assist with power restoration in Nashville following winter weather events.

The meeting included a presentation on the Rotating Load Shed (RLS) Program designed to assist with potential load shed requests from the TVA, which included a demonstration of the program in test mode and the presentation of new website pages for customer information during outages. Key financial approvals were passed, including the monthly power distributor's reports for November and December 2025, which showed year-to-date income exceeding the previous year and budget, and the financial statements for the Broadband Division for the same period. A significant purchase of fiber and galvanized strand for the Broadband Division was approved. The board also received an introduction to the new Programmer Analyst position and an update on that employee's contributions, such as implementing GIT-based version control and developing automation scripts. Updates were provided regarding the CEO's follow-up actions on public comments concerning broadband investment and sitework, the status of power outages following winter weather events, and a reminder about upcoming board meetings.