Driving Electric in Tennessee Just Got Easier

Bean Station will soon connect to Fast Charge TN and regional Fast Charge Network

As automakers retool their factories to build electric vehicles (EVs), many more EVs will be on the roadways in the next decade. AEC is helping to ensure that Tennessee is ready with charging infrastructure.

On April 5, 2023 at 10:00 A.M., AEC announced that it has installed two fast chargers at Subway in Bean Station as part of Fast Charge TN, a partnership between the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), and Seven States Power Corporation. This Fast Charge TN installation is part of 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.

AEC announced that the fast charger location was fully operational on April 5, 2023.

AEC’s General Manager, Josh Compton, says, “AEC moved quickly to participate in Fast Charge TN, because we recognize some of our members will choose to purchase an EV at some point. We want to make it easy for those members to charge their EVs and at the same time, enjoy the environmental and economic benefits of electric transportation. The funding from TVA and TDEC makes it possible to add fast chargers in our community by providing 80% of the project cost.”

“At TVA we’ve moved far beyond connecting communities with power lines,” said Cindy Herron, Vice President of TVA EnergyRight. “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 AEC 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.”

“This charging location does more than charge cars — it connects Bean Station to the Fast Charge Network and plays an important role in putting our region on the leading edge of the new electric economy,” said Compton.

About AEC:

AEC receives power from TVA at four delivery point substations and operates 12 distribution substations across the service area, serving portions of Jefferson, Hamblen, Hawkins, Grainger, and Sevier counties. AEC serves almost 50,000 members across 2,600 miles of distribution lines with a peak system demand of 345 MW.