EPB

EPB of Chattanooga

Company type	Municipally owned corporation
Industry	Electric utility, Telecommunications
Predecessor	Electric Power Board of Chattanooga
Founded	1935 (1935)
Founder	Tennessee Legislature
Headquarters	Chattanooga , United States
Area served	Greater Chattanooga and Hamilton County, Tennessee
Products	Electricity, Fiber optic internet, Cable television
Website	www.epb.net

EPB of Chattanooga, previously known as the Electric Power Board of Chattanooga, is a municipally owned electric utility and telecommunications provider headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee. EPB delivers services to almost 180,000 residential and commercial customers within a 600-square-mile region encompassing greater Chattanooga and Hamilton County, Tennessee. In 2010, EPB became the first company in the United States to provide 1 Gbit/s internet speeds via a fiber optic network, offering connectivity over 200 times faster than the national average. This breakthrough led to Chattanooga being dubbed "Gig City" and established EPB as a frontrunner in implementing cutting-edge Smart grid electric distribution technologies.

On October 15, 2015, EPB introduced the world's inaugural community-wide 10-gigabit Internet service, further solidifying its role as an innovator in broadband infrastructure.

Created by the Tennessee Legislature in 1935 as an autonomous board under the City of Chattanooga, EPB began supplying electricity to the local area in 1939 and has since diversified into telecommunications and cable television services.

1930s

• 1935: The Electric Power Board was established to distribute TVA-generated electricity publicly after voters approved bond funding for municipal power.
• 1939: EPB purchased the Chattanooga and Tennessee Electric Power Company (TEPCO) system for $10.85 million, acquiring 42,000 customers and becoming the dominant electricity supplier in the Greater Chattanooga area.

1990s

• 1999: Celebrating its 60th year, EPB unveiled refreshed branding aimed at highlighting innovation and customer responsiveness, facilitating growth into telecom and internet service markets.

2000s

• 2000: EPB launched “EPB Telecom,” providing local businesses with reliable, cost-effective all-fiber high-speed internet.
• 2008: A bond issuance was secured to finance EPB’s Smart Grid initiative, following more than ten years of research and development efforts.

2010s

• 2012: Completion of one of America’s earliest and most extensive Smart Grid systems enhanced overall service dependability.
• 2015: EPB rolled out a 10-gigabit internet offering across its entire 600-square-mile service territory, delivering speeds approximately 1,000 times faster than average U.S. broadband. This groundbreaking service positioned both EPB and Chattanooga as world leaders in ultra-high-speed internet access.

2020s

• 2022: The company introduced city-wide 25-gigabit internet service, reinforcing its status as a pioneer in high-speed connectivity.

Expansions

EPB extended its gigabit internet network to Chattanooga Airport, featuring a demonstration zone in the former gift shop area, along with complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi available at Miller Plaza. As one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, EPB has petitioned the FCC to broaden its internet service coverage beyond its existing 600-square-mile footprint but encounters regulatory restrictions in 19 states that limit utilities from providing internet outside their designated areas.

Fiber optics, Smart Grid, and smart city

In February 2008, EPB authorized the creation of a Smart Grid featuring a fully automated, self-repairing system supported by a 100% fiber-optic infrastructure. By September 2010, EPB had established a 9,000-mile fiber optic network, becoming the pioneering U.S. provider to deliver 1 gigabit-per-second internet service to more than 175,000 residences and businesses—leading to Chattanooga’s nickname as "Gig City."

The Smart Grid project reached completion in April 2012, outfitted with over 200,000 sensors and intelligent devices, including roughly 1,200 automated smart switches. This extensive deployment was achieved in just four years, significantly ahead of the initial ten-year schedule. In 2013, EPB enhanced its baseline internet speed to 100 Mbit/s without additional charges and further increased speeds to 300 Mbit/s by 2019.

In October 2014, EPB collaborated with the U.S. Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to pilot and advance innovative energy technologies leveraging Chattanooga’s smart grid infrastructure. Four years later, in October 2018, EPB joined local stakeholders to initiate the Chattanooga Smart Cities Community Collaborative, utilizing smart city frameworks for research initiatives such as the mile-long Smart City Testbed Corridor developed by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

These efforts played a role in Chattanooga being designated an IDC Smart City in 2020 for its predictive management of traffic accident hotspots. Additionally, U.S. Ignite honored Chattanooga with a Smart 50 Award in 2019 in recognition of its advancements in smart city innovation.

Community impact

In July 2020, EPB and its partners introduced HCS EdConnect, a program designed to offer complimentary high-speed internet access and wireless routers to families of economically disadvantaged K-12 students. The initiative aims to maintain this connectivity for at least ten years with intentions for ongoing funding.

An independent analysis conducted in January 2021 by Dr. Bento Lobo from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga estimated that the community experienced $2.69 billion in benefits during the first decade following EPB’s fiber optic network and smart grid deployment. The fiber optic infrastructure contributed to the creation of approximately 9,516 jobs and facilitated $244 million in business activities utilizing the network.

Environmental efforts

Dr. Lobo’s 2021 research also revealed that Chattanooga’s smart grid led to a reduction of 7,900 tons of CO2 emissions between 2014 and 2020 by minimizing road travel and enhancing energy management.

Since 2015, EPB has collaborated with TVA on the "Home Uplift" initiative, which offers free home energy improvements to low-income homeowners. By April 2021, upgrades had been completed on 400 residences, resulting in an average annual saving of 5,206 kWh per home—equating to over $208,000 saved by customers and preventing 1,472 metric tons of carbon emissions.

In July 2017, EPB finalized Solar Share, Chattanooga’s inaugural community solar project featuring 4,408 solar panels generating 1.3 megawatts—sufficient energy for roughly 130 households. By October 2019, Solar Share powered the city’s first net-zero carbon conference during the third International Placemaking Week.

EPB received LEED Gold certification for its headquarters in November 2019, acknowledging accomplishments in energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and overall environmental performance enhancement.

Community emergency assistance

As a municipally owned infrastructure provider in Chattanooga, EPB serves as a critical first responder, ensuring continuous operation of fiber optic and electrical power networks during natural disasters.

2020 Easter tornado outbreak

On April 12, 2020, the Easter tornado outbreak severely impacted Chattanooga’s electric and fiber optic systems, initially causing outages affecting more than 106,000 EPB customers. Thanks to Chattanooga’s intelligent grid technology, power was restored to 44,000 customers within a few hours. EPB invoked mutual aid agreements, mobilizing over 1,500 utility personnel from eight different states to achieve full service restoration. Additionally, EPB employees volunteered their time to distribute food supplies, protective equipment, and coordinate rebuilding efforts.

COVID-19 response

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, EPB aided the community by halting service disconnections and waiving late payment penalties to help maintain internet access. The company established upwards of 130 public Wi-Fi access points and collaborated with Hamilton County Schools in July 2020 to introduce HCS Ed Connect, a program offering complimentary home internet service to all K-12 students and their families. Initially launched to support remote learning during the pandemic, this initiative seeks to reduce the digital divide in Hamilton County over the long term.

In partnership with TVA, EPB matched donations exceeding $785,000 directed to United Way of Greater Chattanooga's Restore Hope Fund, providing assistance to families experiencing financial difficulties due to the pandemic. In November 2020, EPB contributed 5,000 face masks to local schools as part of an Economic Recovery Group effort initiated by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee.

Awards and recognition

• In January 2016, Chattanooga’s EPB-managed smart grid became the first large-scale power distribution network to receive Performance Excellence in Electricity Renewal (PEER) certification, acknowledging its outstanding system performance, reliability, service quality, customer engagement, energy efficiency, and environmental responsibility.
• In July 2018, EPB was recognized by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and Governor Bill Haslam as a Pursuit of Excellence Winner for its environmental leadership, highlighted by reducing carbon emissions by 3,340 metric tons and recycling more than 4,600 tons of materials.

See also

• Cities with municipal wireless networks

External links

• EPB Company History
• Smart Grid