KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Thanks to the Tennessee Valley Authority several East Tennessee schools will see extra money coming in.
TVA announced that 106 schools across its Southeast region will have more money back into their budgets and cleaner air thanks to over $3 million in grants for energy and learning environment upgrades, according to a release from TVA.
The following East Tennessee schools have been awarded the grant:
- Dogwood Elementary School - $10,000
- Halls Elementary School - $10,000
- Montvale Elementary School - $10,000
- Northshore Elementary School - $10,000
- South Side Elementary School - 25,000
- Tusculum Elementary School - $10,000
- Union Grove Elementary School - $25,000
- York Elementary School - $10,000
- Cherokee Middle School - $10,000
- Midway High School - $10,000
- Midtown Education Center - $10,000
- Glenwood Education Center - $10,000
In total, the Tennessee Valley Authority is distributing $80,000 to schools in Blount, Fentress, Knox and Scott counties.
These grants are awarded as part of TVA’s nationally recognized School Uplift program – which is already benefiting 225 schools saving almost 10% on their annual energy bills.
When combined with energy savings from grant-funded upgrades, this year’s participants will save an estimated 9 GWh of energy or the amount of electricity used by 1,241 homes in one year, according to TVA.
The grants ranged from $10,000 to $400,000 and were awarded on the score each school achieved by cutting their energy waste, engaging their school community and a needs-based assessment that determined which school buildings could achieve the greatest energy savings, TVA said.
“TVA and our 153 local power company partners have worked to make a positive impact on the communities we serve, and we are especially proud of the impact of our School Uplift program since children are our most important asset,” Monika Beckner, vice president, TVA Energy Services and Programs, said. “Reducing energy costs makes more dollars available for educational purposes and improving the quality of the learning environment for both students and teachers helps give every child the opportunity to succeed.”
In 2021, TVA launched the School Uplift program to invest in students’ futures by offering energy efficiency training and grants that not only reduce energy costs but improve the quality of the learning environment. The 2024-2025 School Uplift program will kick off this summer with up to 120 new schools enrolled.