The Tennessee Valley Authority announced Friday that 121 schools across the Tennessee Valley region will reduce their power bills and have healthier air thanks to over $3.3 million in funding for energy and classroom upgrades.
Lewisburg Elementary School is not only one of just three Kentucky schools to receive a grant, but it is among the 10 schools in the TVA region to receive the maximum $210,000 grant. The other two Kentucky recipients, Warren Central High School and Cumberland Trace Elementary in Bowling Green, were among the 101 schools to be awarded the minimum $10,000.
This funding is part of TVA’s nationally recognized School Uplift program – which has invested about $13 million to help over 440 schools across seven states reduce their energy bills since 2021. The program has saved participating schools an average of 10 on their energy bills annually through behavioral changes alone, and this year’s participants will save an estimated 5.5 GWh of energy—enough electricity to power 18,000 homes for a month.
“TVA and local power company partners are committed to making a positive impact on the communities we serve through School Uplift,” said Ray Knotts, TVA senior director of demand management. “By reducing energy costs, we’re making more funds available for education and creating a better learning environment for students and teachers that helps give every child the opportunity to succeed.”
Funding was awarded based on the score each school achieved by cutting their energy waste and engaging their school community, and a needs-based assessment that determined which facilities could achieve the greatest energy savings.
Lewisburg School plans to replace two HVAC systems in the school gym, replace four smaller systems within the building, add automatic light sensors in all classrooms, and add new appliances in the school kitchen. $10,000 of the grant will be used for outdoor classroom areas and a nature trail.
“The TVA School Uplift Program has had a tremendously positive impact on our school. This program has helped us create student-led opportunities such as our Energy Team. These experiences give students the chance to be accountable and serve as leaders in managing our school's energy and resource usage, while also helping them understand the importance of being contributing members of our community. This recognition reflects our passion for inspiring, supporting, and uplifting every student we serve, as well as our commitment to educating students to be responsible stewards of both our community and the planet.” - Grant Warren, Principal, Lewisburg School
The school will have a “big check” presentation on May 20 at 1:15 p.m. at Lewisburg School, TVA launched the School Uplift program to invest in students’ futures by offering energy efficiency training and funding to reduce energy costs and improve a school’s learning environment.
A TVA video features Lewisburg School in its opening. See it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiELZrI89Kk&t=478s .
TVA is looking to enroll schools in the 2026-2027 School Uplift program. Public and private schools in TVA's seven-state service area are encouraged to apply. Learn more about TVA’s School Uplift program at https://energyright.com/business-industry/school-uplift/.