STATE NEWS — Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) representatives met with nine lawmakers last week with line worker safety at the top of their collective minds.

According to a press release, more than 200 electric cooperative members from across Tennessee were in Nashville Feb. 4 for the legislative conference asking for commonsense rules to protect the state’s electric line workers.

More and more, electric consumers are opting to install personal generation sources, like solar panels, on personal property. However, when not installed properly, those sources can pose a real threat to the safety of local line workers. Utility professionals asked lawmakers to support legislation that would require property owners installing a generation source to notify their local power provider, comply with safety codes, and install a switch that would allow the generation source to be disconnected during an emergency.

“The safety of our line workers and first responders is our top priority,” said President and CEO Scott Spence. “I believe this legislation will help protect our hard-working employees allowing them to return home safely to their families at the end of the day.”

According to the press release, other topics during the visits included legislation that would allow certain utility-owned vehicles to display the Powering Tennessee specialty license plate. Funds from the sale of the plate benefit the Tennessee Line Worker Lifeline Fund, a 501 (c) 3 organization dedicated to assisting line workers and their families who may have been injured or killed in the course of their duties.•

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