Duck River Electric Membership Corporation’s popular Home Energy Workshop series is back this fall, offering free tips on how simple home improvements can boost heating and cooling efficiency, lower energy bills, and make a home more comfortable — timing that lines up with a winter outlook forecasters say could bring some real swings in temperature.

A strong, and possibly record-setting, El Niño pattern is developing in the Pacific, and NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center has been tracking it since summer. On average, El Niño winters tend to run milder and wetter across Middle Tennessee, with more storms moving through than usual. But “milder on average” doesn’t mean risk-free: the Farmers’ Almanac’s 2026-27 outlook calls for a cooler, stormier season across the Southeast, with sleet, freezing rain, and sharp cold snaps possible even inside an overall milder winter, particularly across Tennessee and the surrounding region. Forecasters on both sides agree on one thing — this winter’s precipitation and storm activity are likely to run above normal.

That kind of back-and-forth is exactly the scenario that makes a well-sealed, efficient home pay off, whether the next cold snap lasts two days or two weeks. DREMC’s workshops are designed to help members get ahead of it before temperatures start swinging.

Home Energy Workshops are planned for October in five communities served by DREMC. Workshops will not be offered in the Lynchburg office but they are offered in nearby Decherd, Manchester, and Shelbyville. All sessions begin at 6 p.m. and are expected to last approximately an hour. Each workshop includes a complimentary light supper and an informative energy presentation by a DREMC representative. Attendees will learn about rebates, incentives, and other energy-saving opportunities available through TVA’s EnergyRight® programs. As a thank-you for attending, each household will receive a free Home Energy Starter Kit by mail to help jump-start energy-saving improvements at home.

Space is limited, so reservations are required, and preference is given to DREMC members. To reserve a spot, visit click here or call DREMC at (931) 680-5880.

2026 Home Energy Workshop Schedule

Columbia — Tuesday, Oct. 6 DREMC office, 798 New Lewisburg Hwy.

Lewisburg — Thursday, Oct. 8 Columbia State Community College, 980 South Ellington Pkwy.

Decherd — Tuesday, Oct. 13 Decherd First Baptist Church, 703 West Broad St.

Manchester — Thursday, Oct. 15 DREMC office, 209 East Fort St.

Shelbyville — Tuesday, Oct. 20 DREMC office, 1411 Madison St.

Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative, provides power to more than 86,000 members across 17 counties in southern Middle Tennessee. •

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