Summer Time of Use: June - September | Weekdays: 1 P.M. - 7 P.M.
Need to report an outage or safety concern? Call 931-455-4515 or 931-928-1110.
Electric Department
TUA serves 11,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers with low-cost, reliable power. Over 250 miles of distribution lines are maintained by the electrical department, which includes line workers and grounds workers, two engineering associates and an electric department manager. In addition to line maintenance, crews are also on call 24 hours a day for power outage emergencies.
TUA provides power through two main 161 kV substations, the most recent one being constructed by TUA staff and energized in March of 1997. Each main substation has the capacity of 75 MVA and each typically carries a winter peak load of 32 MW. The TUA distribution voltage is nominally 13 kV, three phase, 60 hertz.
TUA is a power distributor for the Tennessee Valley Authority, which has provided low-cost, reliable, public power to the customers of Tennessee and portions of surrounding states since 1933.
TVA provides regulatory oversight for your local power company’s rates and service practice policies.
If you have an issue or complaint that you have not been able to resolve with your local power company, TVA’s Complaint Resolution Process may be able to help.
There are three ways to begin the process:
TUA's Electric Department Received the 2020 RP3 Designation
TUA provides power through two main 161 kV substations, the most recent one being constructed by TUA staff and energized in March of 1997. Each main substation has the capacity of 75 MVA and each typically carries a winter peak load of 32 MW. The TUA distribution voltage is nominally 13 kV, three phase, 60 hertz.
TUA is a power distributor for the Tennessee Valley Authority, which has provided low-cost, reliable, public power to the customers of Tennessee and portions of surrounding states since 1933.
TVA provides regulatory oversight for your local power company’s rates and service practice policies.
If you have an issue or complaint that you have not been able to resolve with your local power company, TVA’s Complaint Resolution Process may be able to help.
There are three ways to begin the process:
- Online at www.tva.com/complaintresolution
- E-mail complaintresolution@tva.gov
- Call the TVA Regulatory hotline at 1-888-289-8409
TUA's Electric Department Received the 2020 RP3 Designation
Tennessee Valley Authority Rate Increase
As the leader of your local power company, Tullahoma Utilities Authority (TUA), I want to take this opportunity to help the community better understand electric rates, how they are determined, and what factors influence the cost of electricity that powers our community. At TUA, we are committed to transparency while focusing on our mission of providing our customers with safe, reliable, and affordable services.
To simplify this discussion, I will write about residential electric rates and hold the commercial rates for a later time. Electric rates are the prices customers pay per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity used. These rates are designed to cover the costs of generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity, as well as maintaining the infrastructure necessary to keep powering Tullahoma and the Tennessee Valley.
The Valley’s population is growing at a rate that is three times faster than the national average, and in 2023, gross domestic product (GDP) in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) service territory grew 0.5% faster than the national average.
To address the need for more electricity, TVA is investing nearly $16 billion through FY27 to build new generation and infrastructure to enhance the reliability of existing assets. TVA is building 3,500 megawatts and has made great progress by completing 1,400 megawatts and securing 800 megawatts of solar generation this year.
To fund ongoing construction and energy development, TVA is implementing a 5.25% rate increase that will go into effect on October 1, 2024. With the average monthly residential bill in FY23 being $138, the rate increase will translate to approximately $4.35 more per month for the average residential electric customer.
To simplify this discussion, I will write about residential electric rates and hold the commercial rates for a later time. Electric rates are the prices customers pay per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity used. These rates are designed to cover the costs of generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity, as well as maintaining the infrastructure necessary to keep powering Tullahoma and the Tennessee Valley.
The Valley’s population is growing at a rate that is three times faster than the national average, and in 2023, gross domestic product (GDP) in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) service territory grew 0.5% faster than the national average.
To address the need for more electricity, TVA is investing nearly $16 billion through FY27 to build new generation and infrastructure to enhance the reliability of existing assets. TVA is building 3,500 megawatts and has made great progress by completing 1,400 megawatts and securing 800 megawatts of solar generation this year.
To fund ongoing construction and energy development, TVA is implementing a 5.25% rate increase that will go into effect on October 1, 2024. With the average monthly residential bill in FY23 being $138, the rate increase will translate to approximately $4.35 more per month for the average residential electric customer.
Our Commitment to You
At TUA, we understand that any increase in your utility bill can be a concern. We want to reassure our customers that we remain dedicated to providing you with the highest level of service at the most affordable rates possible. TUA will not profit from this rate increase; we simply pass along the costs from TVA to our customers.
How Are Electric Rates Determined
1. Cost of Power Supply: The biggest portion of your electric bill is the cost of purchasing power from our supplier, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). TVA's rates are influenced by the costs of fuel, such as natural gas and coal, as well as the costs associated with operating and maintaining power plants, renewable energy sources, and other infrastructure.
2. Infrastructure Maintenance and Upgrades: TUA invests in the maintenance and upgrading of the electric grid to ensure safe and reliable service. This includes repairing lines, maintaining transformers, and investing in technology that improves service reliability.
3. Operational Costs: Operational costs include everything from customer service and billing to employee salaries and emergency response capabilities. These costs are essential to providing you with uninterrupted power and addressing any issues promptly.
4. Regulatory Compliance: As a public utility, TUA must comply with state and federal regulations, which often require investments in technology and processes to ensure environmental protection, safety, and reliability.
2. Infrastructure Maintenance and Upgrades: TUA invests in the maintenance and upgrading of the electric grid to ensure safe and reliable service. This includes repairing lines, maintaining transformers, and investing in technology that improves service reliability.
3. Operational Costs: Operational costs include everything from customer service and billing to employee salaries and emergency response capabilities. These costs are essential to providing you with uninterrupted power and addressing any issues promptly.
4. Regulatory Compliance: As a public utility, TUA must comply with state and federal regulations, which often require investments in technology and processes to ensure environmental protection, safety, and reliability.
TUA’s Time of Use (TOU) Rates
As the demand for electricity increases, so does the cost of producing it. Typically, hot summer afternoons and cold winter mornings are the peak demand periods, meaning that the costs to purchase power are higher during these periods. TUA purchases power from TVA on a TOU rate schedule and TUA sells power to our customers on a TOU rate schedule. If a TUA customer chooses, they can take advantage of this schedule by strategically shifting some of their energy usage. As a reminder, TUA’s TOU Rate Schedule is listed below. The off-peak rate is about $0.06 less than the on-peak rate.
- Summer months (June, July, August, and September): Peak hours are 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Winter Months (December, January, February, and March): Peak hours are 4 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Other months are considered transition periods and are charged at lower rates
Looking Ahead
TUA will continue to work closely with TVA to ensure that our community benefits from a reliable and sustainable energy future. We will keep you informed about any future changes and remain transparent in how these adjustments impact your service.
We appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate these changes together. If you have any questions or concerns about your bill, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team.
We appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate these changes together. If you have any questions or concerns about your bill, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team.
Allen Potter
Tullahoma Utilities Authority
931-455-4515
tullahomautilities.com
Reliability You Can Count On
Tullahoma Utilities Authority has earned a Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) Platinum designation from the American Public Power Association for providing reliable and safe electric service.
The RP3 designation, which lasts for three years, recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement. Criteria include sound business practices and a utility-wide commitment to safe and reliable delivery of electricity. Tullahoma Utilities Authority is one of more than 250 public power utilities nationwide that hold the RP3 designation.
“Receiving an RP3 designation is a great honor signifying a utility has demonstrated commitment to industry best practices,” said Jeremy Ash, Chair of APPA’s RP3 Review Panel and Chief Operating Officer at Kansas City Board of Public Utilities, Kansas. "And ultimately, the culture developed from this pursuit of excellence and continued improvement through the RP3 program results in measurable value delivered to the local community.”
Tullahoma Utilities Authority's Electric Outage Map provides you general information about the outage level across TUA's service area. Detailed information about specific addresses is not available for home safety and security measures. All information displayed on this site is based on reported and known outages. For information about your specific outage, or if you have an outage and the section of the map you are in doesn't show any outages, call 931-455-4515 and select option #2.
Be prepared for outages:
Remember to keep your telephone number(s) updated with TUA so we can provide you with faster service when reporting outages.
Updated information will:
To update your phone number information, you can do one of the following:
Be safe:
Downed power lines are a serious emergency and should be reported immediately by calling Tullahoma Utilities Authority's 24-hour Emergency Hotline at 931-455-4515.
Never, under any circumstances, go near a downed power line or anything that is in contact with the line. It is very possible that the line could be energized, and there is absolutely no way for you to tell the difference. Remember, too, the line can become energized at any time.
If you are in a vehicle that hits a pole and wires fall on your vehicle, stay inside and ask someone to call 911 for fire and police rescue first, then TUA for assistance. Unless your life is threatened by severe injury or fire, you should remain in your car until an TUA representative tells you it is safe to leave. If you must leave, however, jump completely clear of the vehicle, never touching the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Land with your feet together and be careful to maintain your balance.
Again, to report an emergency such as a downed wire, an extremely low wire or one that is sparking, call TUA's 24-hour Emergency Line at 931-455-4515.
Be prepared for outages:
Remember to keep your telephone number(s) updated with TUA so we can provide you with faster service when reporting outages.
Updated information will:
- Allow TUA to contact customers of planned outages.
- Allow customers to report an electrical outage by telephone using the telephone number associated with their account.
To update your phone number information, you can do one of the following:
- Send an e-mail to customerservice@tullahomautilities.com
- Call 931-455-4515 to speak to a customer service representative.
Be safe:
Downed power lines are a serious emergency and should be reported immediately by calling Tullahoma Utilities Authority's 24-hour Emergency Hotline at 931-455-4515.
Never, under any circumstances, go near a downed power line or anything that is in contact with the line. It is very possible that the line could be energized, and there is absolutely no way for you to tell the difference. Remember, too, the line can become energized at any time.
If you are in a vehicle that hits a pole and wires fall on your vehicle, stay inside and ask someone to call 911 for fire and police rescue first, then TUA for assistance. Unless your life is threatened by severe injury or fire, you should remain in your car until an TUA representative tells you it is safe to leave. If you must leave, however, jump completely clear of the vehicle, never touching the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Land with your feet together and be careful to maintain your balance.
Again, to report an emergency such as a downed wire, an extremely low wire or one that is sparking, call TUA's 24-hour Emergency Line at 931-455-4515.
PURCHASE ELECTRICAL PERMIT
- Electric Department FAQs
- TVA
- Green Power
- Public Power
- Trees & Power Lines
- Trees & Energy Efficiency
- Electric Rates
- Design Criteria & Specifications
- Notices on Utility Poles are Dangerous to Workers!
- American Public Power Association
- Tennessee Valley Public Power Association
- Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association
- Time Of Use
- TVA EnergyRight Residential Services
- Deposits
- Outage Map