MLEC Returns from 2024 Washington Youth Tour

Seven Linemen provide mutual aid to South Carolina and Tennessee

(October 1, 2024– Centerville, TN) — Two crews of MLEC lineworkers have volunteered to join the power restoration efforts in South Carolina and Tennessee after Hurricane Helene left thousands without power. A five-man crew (pictured below) joined Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative which had more than 60,000 members without power in South Carolina. Humphreys County Journey Lineworker Barry Wilson and Lewis County Journey Lineworker Timmy Boyd (not pictured) traveled to Holston Electric Cooperative to assist in recovery efforts in Tennessee.

Pictured above from left to right: Hickman County Journey Lineworker Nick Edwards, Lewis County Journey Lineworker Blake Johnston, Houston County Journey Lineworker Daniel Johnson, Perry County Journey Lineworker David Qualls and Humphreys County Journey Lineworker Karl Reynen.

MLEC Hosting Local Membership Events This October

(September 24, 2024) — October is National Cooperative Month, and as a part of the nationwide observance, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative will celebrate its members and the communities it serves by hosting an event in each county.

The MLEC Humphreys County District Meeting and 85^th Annual Meeting are October 3 at Waverly Central High School. Registration for the meeting and door prizes begins at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting will be called to order at 7:00 p.m.

For Hickman, Houston, Lewis and Perry counties, MLEC will host Member Appreciation Days. Attendees can enjoy a free lunch with a grilled hot dog, chips, cookie and drink from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at their local MLEC office as follows:

• Perry County- Tuesday, Oct. 15
• Lewis County- Wednesday, Oct. 16
• Houston County- Monday, Oct. 28
• Hickman County- Wednesday, Oct. 30

At all events, members will be introduced to Meriwether Lewis’ new logo by receiving a 30 oz. tumbler, while supplies last. Also, attendees can register for the following door prizes to be given away at each event:

• One-Year Membership to the Nashville Zoo for 2 adults and up to 6 children
• Bird Feeder with Camera
• DeWalt Drill Set
• Outdoor Patio Heater
• Turkey Fryer
• KitchenAid Mixer
• Apple iPad (Donated by MLConnect)

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Power and Broadband teams ready to serve in case of outages

(September 12, 2024 – Centerville, TN) As remnants of Hurricane Francine approach the Meriwether Lewis service area, our crews are on standby and ready to jump to action in the event of major outages. Our power and broadband teams have supplies ready, trucks fueled, safety gear prepped and chainsaws sharpened to respond and serve members quickly. MLEC hopes that the extra preparation will not be needed, but as an electric cooperative, the planning will allow us to better fulfill our duty of providing safe, low-cost and reliable power and broadband.

In times of impending storms, MLEC encourages members to review emergency plans, especially if someone has a medical condition that requires electricity. Please put safety first during outages and remember these pieces of information:

• If you do not have electric service or know of someone who does not have electricity, please call your local office.  Have your phone number, address and name on the MLEC account ready. Call volume may be high, so you may receive an automated message or busy signal. Email and social media are not linked to our outage management system, so these should not be used to report issues.

• Contact MLEC if you see power lines on the ground or caught in trees. Do not try to move them. If touched, they could cause electrocution or serious injury.
• Use extreme caution when using a generator. If you own a generator, contact MLEC. A generator can send electricity back through electric lines and electrocute linemen or others involved in restoration efforts. See www.mlec.com/generators for proper generator installation and use.
• Keep refrigerators and freezers closed as much as possible to retain the inside temperature.
• If the weatherhead at your home is torn down, an electrician will need to repair this before MLEC can restore power.
• If you are an MLConnect subscriber and power has returned but Internet has not, unplug the router from the power source for a few minutes instead of using the reset button. If this does not restore service, submit a ticket online at www.mlec.com/mlconnect/contact-us/. Or, call your local MLEC office; then press OPTION 3, then OPTION 2. Once power lines are back in service, broadband crews will begin repairing fiber.

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Waverly Central High School – October 3

(September 6, 2024– Waverly, TN) — Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative’s 85^th Annual Meeting and the 2024 Humphreys County District Membership Meeting are set for October 3, at Waverly Central High School.  Registration begins at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting begins at 7 p.m. Incumbent Andy Porch is the only member who filed to run for the MLEC Board of Directors.

Those participating will view the Meriwether Lewis annual report video and have opportunities to learn more about the cooperative’s power and broadband services. Each adult in attendance will receive a free gift (while supplies last). Attendees may also win one of seven door prizes: one-year Nashville Zoo membership for two adults and up to six children, KitchenAid mixer, outdoor patio heater, bird feeder with camera, DeWalt drill and driver kit, turkey fryer, and a Apple iPad.

For full details, see September’s issue of The Tennessee Magazine page 22.

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US Representative Meets Hickman County Office and Tours MLConnect Service

(August 30, 2024) — MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan discussed the importance of broadband with Congressman Mark Green who toured MLEC’s Hickman County office and learned more about MLConnect’s broadband service on August 30.

Also, present were Congressman Green Senior Advisor Steve Allbrooks, State Representative Jody Barrett, Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association (TECA) CEO Mike Knotts, TECA Government Affairs Vice-President Ryan King and Hickman County Mayor Jim Bates along with MLEC staff.

MLEC shares August 30 Deadline

(August 6, 2024) — Applications are due August 30, 2024, for Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative’s Adopt-A-School Grant.  Teachers can apply for one of three $1000 grants in their county to help meet classroom needs or supplement a special project.

Kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers or principals should submit an application to MLEC Member Services by the August 30 deadline.  Applications are available at each school and online at mlec.com/school-programs/.

“MLEC celebrates 30 great years of providing classroom grants and connecting with local teachers,” says MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan. “We appreciate our partners at CoBank and the Tennessee Valley Authority for their matching funds to make these annual grants possible. Making a difference for local students is important to MLEC, and we look forward to continuing our mission.”

MLEC begins project to upgrade meters in Perry County

(August 5, 2024) — In ongoing efforts to serve its members more efficiently and reliably, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative is upgrading meters across its service area. Work in Perry County is expected to begin in mid-August and finish by the end of the year, which also completes the project for all five counties.

“Like any technology, meter upgrades come along as older equipment becomes unreliable and offers less manufacturer support if something goes wrong,” says MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan. “We are replacing the unsupported meters with an upgraded model and combining its technology with MLConnect broadband to provide safe, affordable, reliable power to our members.”

The advanced meters improve reliability by pinpointing and responding to power outages more effectively, creating opportunities for grid improvements, and diagnosing and resolving issues before they occur. Ultimately, it saves outage time and the costs associated with unexpected power interruptions.

The installation only takes a few minutes, creates a momentary outage, and only involves outside equipment. The property owner does not need to be present. MLEC understands members might question someone unfamiliar on their property, so employees are always in clearly marked vehicles and have photo ID badges.

For additional details, contact your local MLEC office or visit https://mlec.com/mlec-meters/. 

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MLEC Contributes Funds to Local Emergency Services

(July 30, 2024) — MLEC put Co-op Principle Number 7, Concern for Community, into practice by giving $500 to the Perry County Rescue Squad and Linden Volunteer Fire Department. On behalf of MLEC, Board Director Tommy Graham (left) presented the contribution to Perry County Rescue Squad and EMA Director Gary Rogers (right).

MLEC connects Waverly to Fast Charge TN and regional network

(June 28, 2024) — Meriwether Lewis has prepared our service area for more electric vehicles as automakers retool their factories to bring more EVs on the roadways in the next decade.

MLEC has officially opened two EV fast chargers at its Waverly District office at 210 West Main Street as part of Fast Charge TN, a partnership between the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), and Seven States Power Corporation. Through the program, TVA and TDEC provided 80 percent of the project cost and made fast chargers possible in the community.

“We moved quickly to participate in Fast Charge TN because we want to make EVs a choice for our community so members can enjoy the environmental and economic benefits of electric transportation,” said MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan. “MLEC now has four EV chargers located in its service area. With Waverly’s addition and Hohenwald’s existing chargers, driving electric is easier than ever for members.”

MLEC’s participation expands the regional Fast Charge Network that will cover major travel corridors across TVA’s seven-state service area and will complement the broader efforts of the National Electric Highway Coalition, which seeks to enable long-distance EV travel by placing fast chargers along interstates and major highways throughout the United States.

TVA and TDEC have brought together local power companies, state and local government partners, and others to pave the way for over 200,000 EVs on Tennessee Valley roads by 2028. The benefits that these EVs bring to the Tennessee Valley region are significant:

• Attracting high-quality jobs – $17.2 billion in EV and battery manufacturing has helped create over 14,000 EV-related jobs in the past 10 years
• Reducing carbon emissions from gasoline vehicles by almost 1 million metric tons per year or the equivalent of the carbon sequestered by 1 million acres of U.S. forests in one year
• Reinvesting $120 million in the local economy every year from electric refueling
• Saving drivers up to $1,000 in fuel and maintenance costs every year

“At TVA we’ve moved far beyond connecting communities with power lines,” said TVA EnergyRight Vice President Monika Beckner. “Today, EVs use our clean, low-cost, reliable electricity to connect communities and commerce across our region. Taking a leadership role in EV charging infrastructure allows TVA to save drivers money and attract good jobs and tourism– all powered by electricity from TVA and your local power company.”

“Tennessee’s air is cleaner as measured by federal air quality standards than it has been in generations, and a clean environment helps drive economic development,” TDEC Deputy Commissioner Greg Young said. “TDEC is partnering with TVA and MLEC on the development of this station to continue Tennessee’s environmental and economic momentum while further entrenching our state as the epicenter of the electric vehicle transition.”

“Seven States is trusted by local power companies across the Tennessee Valley to deliver EV charging technology for their consumers,” said Betsey Kirk McCall, President and CEO of Seven States Power Corporation. “Impactful partnerships like this benefit the local community, regional economy and global environment for years to come.”

To learn more about the Fast Charge Network, calculate how much money an EV could save you or locate EV charging stations on your travel route, check out  https://energyright.com/ev/.

Learn more about Fast Charge TN here:  www.tn.gov/EVFastCharge.

Student Delegates Gain Knowledge and Skills at Weeklong Trip

(June 27, 2024) — Meriwether Lewis’ group has returned home from a successful Washington Youth Tour after seven student delegates and two chaperones spent a full week at the nation’s capital.

(Pictured from back left: MLEC Communications Coordinator Benjamin Armstrong, Delegates Charlsie Strech, Jacob Young, Jaxon Fite and MLEC Marketing Coordinator Memori Depriest. From front left: Delegates Sage Clendenion, Kari Byrd, Bailey Hickman and Lilli Istre.)

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, MLEC and other electric cooperatives from across the state sponsor the annual event and provide an all-expenses paid, once-in-a-lifetime trip to Washington D.C. for high school juniors. Students were selected by writing a short story titled “Electric Cooperatives Connect” explaining how co-ops link Tennessee communities with energy, education, broadband, economic development and more.

The trip kicked off on June 14 and concluded on June 20. MLEC was represented by East Hickman High School’s Sage Clendenion, Hickman County High School’s Lilli Istre, Houston County High School’s Charlsie Strech, Lewis County High School’s Jaxon Fite, McEwen High School’s Jacob Young, Perry County High School’s Kari Byrd and Waverly Central High School’s Bailey Hickman. MLEC Communications Coordinator Benjamin Armstrong and Marketing Coordinator Memori Depriest served as chaperones. In total, 185 students, teachers and chaperones attended.

During the trip, Delegate Charlsie Strech won first place in the statewide short story contest and earned the Robert McCarty Memorial Scholarship worth $3,000 from TECA. She competed against the top story from each Tennessee electric cooperative out of thousands submitted.

“The Washington Youth Tour is an investment in future members that MLEC is proud to sponsor,” MLEC CEO and President Keith Carnahan said. “Through this trip, delegates explore our nation’s history, meet elected officials and make lasting connections. The knowledge and skills gained are valuable and create future leaders of our communities.”

While in Washington, D.C., Tennessee’s Youth Tour delegates saw memorials to past presidents Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt as well as monuments honoring the sacrifices of veterans of World War II and the Vietnam and Korean Wars. During visits to the museums of the Smithsonian Institution, the touring Tennesseans saw and experienced natural, historical and artistic treasures. Other fun stops included historic homes of former presidents — George Washington’s Mount Vernon and Jefferson’s Monticello — as well as the US Marine Corps War Memorial, the Washington National Cathedral and a boat cruise down the Potomac River. The group also paid a solemn and sobering visit to Arlington National Cemetery where the delegates laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Delegates were also welcomed to the U.S. Capitol by Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, who spoke to MLEC delegates, answered direct questions and took a group photo.

View photos from this year’s Youth Tour on our Facebook page ✨2024 Washington Youth Tour✨