Make the Green Power Switch!

With Green Power Switch, you have the power to change the way electricity is generated throughout the region, reducing emissions and saving natural resources. If you wish to buy green power, Green Power Switch is just for you. If you wish to generate green power, Generation Partners provides incentives.  

Interested in buying green power?
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), in partnership with MLGW and other electric utilities, has created Green Power Switch, a green energy pricing program designed to fund new sources of electric generation.  By converting the energy in the sun, wind and methane gas, TVA now generates a portion of our electricity from renewable resources.  This clean, green energy gets mixed into the overall electric supply, reducing the need for traditional generation.  Currently, green power accounts for far less than 1% of the electricity TVA generates but, as more customers enroll, that percentage will grow. Currently, more than 12,000 households and businesses across the Tennessee Valley participate.

 

Solar Energy Wind Energy Methane Gas


While renewable energy resources are free, the facilities designed to capture their energy and generate electricity are far more expensive to construct than traditional plants.  To encourage investment in these costly facilities, environmentally conscious customers like you can voice your support by purchasing green power for $4 per block.  This cost appears as a line item on your monthly MLGW bill, in addition to your normal electric charges. 

Green Power Switch Statistics

Participating Businesses and Organizations

Residential Customers Commercial Customers

Interested in generating renewable power at your home or business?
Customers who want to generate renewable power and sell it to TVA (MLGW’s electric provider) can participate in Generation Partners. With Generation Partners, you receive a generation incentive for each kilowatt hour (kWh) of green power you generate during the 10-year term of the agreement. The incentive is shown as a line item credit on your monthly MLGW bill, with any credit balance paid out at the end of each year.

TVA recently changed the Generation Partners program. Highlights include:
  • Solar, wind and biogas generation systems are allowed
  • Must have an active MLGW electric account at the address
  • A $1,000 one-time incentive applied to your MLGW account at the time your system is operational
  • Flexible incentive rates of $0.12 per kWh (solar) and $0.03 per kWh (wind and other sources), on top of the applicable residential retail electric rate and fuel cost adjustment. For non-residential customers, the applicable rate is deemed to be the GSA-1 rate plus fuel cost adjustment.
  • Ability to install renewable generation capacity from 500 watts up to 200 kilowatts (kW), regardless of the size of your home’s or business’ electric load, pending MLGW approval. (For large projects, an MLGW interconnection study may be required and additional costs could be incurred to connect your system to MLGW’s electric grid, based on your proposed project.)

    Additional information:
  • Federal Tax Credits are applicable for solar generation equipment installed through 2016. The credit is equal to 30% of the installed system cost.
  • Neither MLGW nor TVA recommends contractors for the Generation Partners program. We do, however, offer these additional resources to assist in your research.
  • For more information, visit TVA’s Generation Partners website.
  • The Tennessee Solar Institute has released details about its Solar Investment Grant, funded by $9 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. The grant application period begins 6/21/2010. Visit www.solar.tennessee.edu for details.

    Interested in generating... - UPDATE: July 2010: TVA has lowered the maximum generation capacity for Generation Partners from 999 kW to 200 kW. A new program for generation capacity over 200 kW should be available in fourth quarter 2010.

    Documents and forms to be completed:
  • Access MLGW’s Generation Partners Overview and Customer Project Fact Sheet
  • Access the Customer Participation Agreement (Attachment A). You will complete sections on pages 1, 3, 6 and 7 only. MLGW will select the metering interconnection based on your project plan. Option 1 is the default.
  • Access the Application for Interconnection of Distributed Generation based on project size. Tier 1 addresses systems less than 10 kW, Tiers 2 and 3 cover systems 10 kW to 200 kW.