BrightRidge

What BrightRidge does

BrightRidge is a non-profit political subdivision of Tennessee and publicly owned electric utility, founded in 1945 as the Johnson City Power Board and rebranded in 2018. It distributes electricity to approximately 83,671 residential, commercial, institutional, and government customers across Washington, Sullivan, Carter, and Greene counties in Northeast Tennessee, making it the 10th largest local power company in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) service area. Wholesale power is purchased from TVA, with roughly 75 cents of every electric dollar passed through to TVA, and BrightRidge reinvests margins into infrastructure and community programs rather than external shareholders.

The company's product portfolio centers on two core lines: regulated electric distribution and a broadband division launched in July 2018 as an 8-year, $64 million phased buildout. The electric side operates 31+ substations with a Smart Grid/SCADA-controlled digital switching backbone, while the broadband side delivers fiber-to-the-premise service at up to 10 Gbps symmetrical speeds, complemented by LTE-type fixed wireless broadband (up to 75 Mbps/10 Mbps) in lower-density areas. Supporting offerings include the SmartHub customer portal, community solar licensed from a Silicon Ranch 5 MW farm, Green Switch renewables, EV charging infrastructure, and TVA EnergyRight energy efficiency programs.

Revenue is generated primarily through subscription-based monthly electricity and broadband billings, supplemented by community solar lease revenue and budget-billing programs. Customers are acquired through a self-serve website (mybrightridge.com), SmartHub app, contracted independent sales representatives, phone-based inside sales, and community/event engagement. Inter-company payments from the broadband division to the electric division — projected at $41 million by 2030 — are designed to reduce electric rate pressure. The company reports a $287 million FY2027 operating budget, 34 consecutive clean audits, and an RP3 platinum designation (96.5/100) from the American Public Power Association.

Name

BrightRidge

Legal name

BrightRidge

Website

https://brightridge.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

BrightRidge is a Tennessee non-profit public utility providing electricity and fiber/fixed wireless broadband to roughly 83,671 customers across four Northeast Tennessee counties under a TVA wholesale power model. It reinvests margins into grid modernization, 10 Gbps fiber expansion, and community programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Services

NAICS

Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric Distribution System Owners (Wires-Only Companies) (EUADABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retail Electric Providers / Competitive Distribution Utilities (where applicable) (EUADABAE), Green Tariffs & Utility Renewable Supply Programs (EUAGADAJ), Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ), Grid-Scale Power Conversion & Interconnection (PCS, Grid-Tie Inverters, Converter Stations) (IMAGAAAI)

Keywords

• Electric utility services
• Fiber broadband internet
• Community solar programs
• Renewable energy programs
• Smart grid infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Johnson City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Electric Utility Service: BrightRidge generates revenue primarily from residential and commercial electricity distribution to approximately 83,671 customers across Washington, Sullivan, Carter, and Greene counties in Tennessee. Revenue comes from electricity sales, with wholesale power purchased from Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). About 75 cents of every dollar generated goes to TVA for wholesale power. The company is a not-for-profit public power utility.
2. Broadband Internet Service: BrightRidge Broadband division offers symmetrical fiber and fixed wireless broadband internet service to more than 20,000 customers at over 30,000 serviceable locations. Revenue generated from broadband subscriptions helps reduce electric rate pressure and generates inter-company payments to the electric division.
3. Community Solar Licensing: BrightRidge licenses 500 kW of community solar capacity from Silicon Ranch's solar farm to residential and commercial customers via month-to-month or 20-year lease arrangements. BrightRidge retains 5% of revenue stream to cover administrative costs, returning 95% to participating customers as bill credits.
4. Payments in Lieu of Taxes: BrightRidge makes annual tax-equivalent payments to local governments (Johnson City, Jonesborough, Kingsport, Washington and Sullivan counties) — $5.8 million in FY 2019, up from $5.4 million in FY 2018. This is a non-revenue item but represents value generated for the community.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BrightRidge distributes electricity and provides high-speed fiber and fixed wireless broadband internet to residential and commercial customers across four counties in Northeast Tennessee. The electric division serves approximately 83,671 customers with electricity purchased wholesale from TVA, while the BrightRidge Broadband division delivers symmetrical fiber internet up to 10 Gbps to more than 20,000 customers at over 30,000 serviceable locations. Complementary offerings include community solar leasing, renewable energy programs, EV charging, and energy efficiency services.

Product overview

BrightRidge is a publicly-owned electric utility and broadband provider offering a multi-service portfolio. The core offerings include electric power distribution services and BrightRidge Broadband (fiber-to-the-premise and fixed wireless internet up to 10 Gbps). Supporting services include SmartHub (customer account management portal), BrightRidge Solar (community solar), Green Switch (renewable energy option), Electric Vehicle Charging infrastructure, and TVA EnergyRight energy efficiency programs. The company operates as a non-profit political subdivision of Tennessee serving approximately 83,671 electric customers and over 20,000 broadband customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electric Utility Services Provides electric power distribution to residential and commercial customers across Washington, Sullivan, Carter, and Greene counties in Tennessee, sourced wholesale from the Tennessee Valley Authority. Includes power distribution, outage management, and reliability infrastructure backed by 31+ substations and Smart Grid digital switching.
• BrightRidge Broadband High-speed fiber optic and fixed wireless broadband internet offering symmetrical speeds up to 10 Gbps for residential and commercial customers, serving more than 20,000 customers across over 30,000 serviceable locations.
• BrightRidge Solar (Community Solar) Community solar program allowing residential and commercial customers to lease 1 kW blocks of solar generation capacity without installing panels on their property, available as month-to-month leases or 20-year prepaid leases.
• Green Switch Renewable Energy Renewable energy subscription program enabling residential and commercial customers to support clean energy generation through their electricity bill, available to both residential and business customers.
• Electric Vehicle Charging EV charging programs and infrastructure including Level 3 public charger installations to support electric vehicle adoption across BrightRidge's service territory.

Quantifiable outcome

• 34 consecutive clean audits — one of the longest streaks among public power utilities in the U.S.
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Pike ElectricminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024BrightRidge and Pike Electric co-hosted Live Line training for area first responders, providing hands-on safety education for electrical emergencies.
• Red Dog Technologies and Washington CountyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Red Dog Technologies, Washington County, and BrightRidge reached an agreement on a data center project, with BrightRidge providing power and broadband infrastructure.
• Hands ON! Discovery Center (Gray, TN)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019BrightRidge partners with Hands ON! Discovery Center to deliver the 'Shocking Science Experience' STEM education program to 3rd-5th grade classrooms in Washington County and Johnson City Schools, as well as STEM fairs for grades K-6.
• Silicon Ranch CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Silicon Ranch (Shell's U.S. solar platform) partnered with BrightRidge and TVA to develop Tri-Cities' first community solar project — a 5 MW solar farm near Telford, TN. Silicon Ranch built and owns the facility (40 acres, 41,760 First Solar modules, 88 inverters) and reserved 500 kW of capacity exclusively for BrightRidge's community solar program. BrightRidge serves as interconnection between Silicon Ranch and TVA, returning 95% of revenue to participating customers. Additional 9 MWAC solar farm also developed under TVA flexibility program.
• Magellan AdvisorscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2018Magellan Advisors served as external consultant to BrightRidge for market research, business plan development, and operational planning for the 10 Gb broadband division. Conducted several market surveys indicating high demand for broadband competition in the region. Helped structure the modular 8-phase buildout plan.
• McCarthy Building CompaniesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2018General contractor for the 5 MW solar farm construction near Telford. Hired approximately 50-100 mostly local workers during construction.
• Johnson City Development Authority (JCDA)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018Partnership to deploy free public WiFi in a 5-block area of historic downtown Johnson City and nearby green spaces (Founder's Park, Pavilion at Founders, King Commons). JCDA provides grant funding; BrightRidge provides in-kind broadband infrastructure and 1G connectivity.
• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017TVA is BrightRidge's wholesale power supplier and federal regulator. TVA provides the EnergyRight Solutions program framework for energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives. TVA approved BrightRidge's broadband business plan and agreed to allow electric division loans to the broadband division. TVA monitors cost sharing to ensure broadband division covers its costs. BrightRidge and TVA co-fund community programs including Home Uplift, Hand Up Fund, and STEM lab donations.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• AT&T: Major U.S. wireline and fiber broadband provider with overlapping service in NE Tennessee. Comparable as the primary incumbent telecom and fiber broadband competitor in the region, against which BrightRidge's 10 Gbps symmetrical fiber and rural fixed wireless compete.
• Comcast (Xfinity): Largest U.S. cable broadband provider and incumbent cable ISP in parts of BrightRidge's service territory. Comparable as a competing broadband provider offering bundled video, internet, and voice services against BrightRidge's fiber-to-the-premise offering.
• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA): Federal corporation and wholesale power provider that supplies BrightRidge's bulk electricity and regulates inter-division cost sharing. While not a direct competitor, TVA shapes BrightRidge's economics, governance, and approved programs (EnergyRight, community solar), making it the single most consequential counterparty.

Direct peers

• Clarksville Department of Electricity (CDE Lightband): Municipal electric utility in Clarksville, Tennessee that operates a fiber-to-the-premise broadband division (CDE Lightband) alongside electric distribution. Closely comparable to BrightRidge's combined electric + fiber public-power model.
• EPB (Electric Power Board of Chattanooga): Municipal electric utility serving the Chattanooga area that pioneered 10 Gbps municipal fiber (EPB Fiber Optics) and operates in the TVA service territory. Highly comparable to BrightRidge in business model (electric distribution + fiber broadband, not-for-profit public power) and competitive positioning.
• Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB): Municipal utility serving Knoxville and Knox County, Tennessee, distributing electricity (and water/gas) as a non-profit public power provider. Directly comparable in ownership structure, regulatory framework, and electric distribution focus, though it does not currently operate a symmetric 10 Gbps fiber retail broadband service.
• Morristown Utility Systems: Municipal electric, water, and wastewater utility serving Morristown, Tennessee, within the TVA region. Comparable as a small non-profit TVA-area municipal utility with similar customer scale and electric distribution focus.
• Huntsville Utilities: Municipal electric, water, and gas utility serving Huntsville, Alabama. Comparable municipal electric distribution model with similar community-owned structure and mid-sized regional footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/BrightRidge
• Facebookfacebook.com/YourBrightRidge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/johnson-city-power-board
• Xx.com/YourBrightRidge

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BrightRidge