Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation

What Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation does

Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation (UCEMC) is a member-owned electric power distribution cooperative, founded in 1938 and headquartered in Carthage, Tennessee, that distributes electricity purchased wholesale from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to more than 50,000 residential and business members across a primarily six-county service territory in the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee (Jackson, Overton, Putnam, Smith, and northern DeKalb Counties, with fringe service to Clay, Fentress, Macon, Pickett, White, and Wilson Counties). The cooperative operates more than 4,600 miles of distribution lines, four district offices (Cookeville, Gainesboro, Livingston, Carthage), a new Outage Management System (OMS) with online outage reporting and a public outage map, a member web portal, a mobile app, and supporting infrastructure including a fiber ring network used for mutual aid with neighboring cooperatives.

UCEMC's core product is regulated electric distribution—residential (RS and LS rates) and business/commercial rate classes—supplemented by recurring revenue streams from outdoor (yard) lighting contracts and one-time construction and connection fees for new services. Pricing follows a cost-of-service model with rates set to recover operating and capital costs (including a TVA fuel cost adjustment) rather than earn profit; members can opt into Budget Billing for predictable monthly payments or a Pre-Payment Program. The cooperative does not sell software or technology products externally—its digital tooling (portal, mobile app, OMS, fiber ring) is internal member-service infrastructure.

The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer within an exclusive service territory: members apply for new service, transfer, or stop service online or at district offices, with no competitive salesforce and no advertising-based acquisition. Adjacent value-adds include the Power Your Way energy management program, EnergyRight rebates via TVA, UCEMC Cares community grants, the Washington Youth Tour scholarship program (co-sponsored with NRECA), Safety Hounds education, and TVA-administered School Uplift and STEM grants. UCEMC is led by CEO/General Manager Jennifer Brogdon, governed by a nine-member member-elected Board of Directors, and operates as a not-for-profit cooperative with no parent company, no outside investors, and no public listing.

Name

Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation

Legal name

Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation

Website

https://ucemc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation (UCEMC) is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative that delivers TVA-purchased power to more than 50,000 residential and business members across the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee via more than 4,600 miles of distribution lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Distribution

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric Cooperatives (Rural/Member-Owned Utilities) (EUADABAC)

Keywords

• Electric power distribution
• Electric utility services
• Member-owned cooperative
• Residential electricity supply
• Commercial electricity supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Carthage

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Electric Power Distribution: UCEMC purchases power from Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and distributes it through their infrastructure to over 50,000 member-customers. Revenue is generated through electricity rates charged to members based on consumption. The cooperative operates on a cost-of-service basis with rates set to cover operating costs and capital expenses rather than generating profit for shareholders.
2. Outdoor Lighting Services: Yard light contracts and outdoor lighting services provided to members for a monthly fee.
3. Construction and Connection Services: New service installation, construction agreements, and connection fees for residential and commercial members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation (UCEMC) is a member-owned electric power distribution cooperative that purchases electricity from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and distributes it through more than 4,600 miles of power lines to over 50,000 members in Tennessee. The cooperative offers residential and commercial electric service, outdoor lighting, and new service/construction connections, operated on a cost-of-service, nonprofit basis.

Product overview

Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation (UCEMC) is a member-owned electric power distribution cooperative offering a unified set of electricity distribution services rather than a modular software platform. The core offering is residential and business electric power distribution across more than 4,600 miles of lines serving over 50,000 members in Tennessee. Adjacent services include an Outage Management System (OMS) with real-time outage mapping, a Member Portal with online billing and payment options, a Mobile App for on-the-go account management, and Outdoor Lighting services. Community-focused sub-brands include the UCEMC Cares Grant Program, the Washington Youth Tour scholarship program, the Safety Hounds educational safety program, and TVA-administered EnergyRight School Uplift and STEM Grants. Construction-related services are supported through the Construction Portal providing forms, standards, and meter base specifications for new service installations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Electric Service Electric power distribution service for individual households and homes, including new service installation, proof of occupancy, continuation of service for rental property, and residential rate structure options (RS and LS rates).
• Business Electric Service Non-residential electric power distribution service for commercial and small business members, with dedicated rate structures and service requirements tailored to commercial loads.
• Outdoor Lighting Service Yard and outdoor lighting installations provided to members under contracted monthly billing, including security and area lighting for residential and commercial properties.
• New Service Construction and Connection New service installation, construction agreements, and connection fees for residential and commercial members establishing new electric service, supported through the online Construction Portal providing forms, standards, drawings, and meter base specifications.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 50,000 members served across 6+ Tennessee counties
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTVA is the power supplier for UCEMC. UCEMC purchases electricity from TVA and distributes it to members. TVA also provides programs like EnergyRight, Green Power Switch (renewable energy), School Uplift grants, STEM grants, and Robotics grants that UCEMC administers at the local level.
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization representing electric cooperatives. Co-sponsors the Washington Youth Tour program that UCEMC participates in annually, sending local high school juniors to Washington D.C.
• Tennessee Electric Cooperative AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level association representing Tennessee electric cooperatives. Publishes Tennessee Magazine featuring cooperative news and member stories.
• Tennessee Valley Public Power Association (TVPPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association for public power entities in the Tennessee Valley region, providing training and industry resources.
• EnergyRight ProgramcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTVA-sponsored energy efficiency program including residential and business rebates, home energy audits, and new home construction programs.
• Tri-County ElectricminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCEMC provided mutual aid to Tri-County Electric and their fiber ring network helped support Tri-County Electric operations during outages.
• Upper Cumberland Tourism AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism organization serving the Upper Cumberland area.
• Putnam County Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal chamber of commerce representing Putnam County business community.
• Jackson County Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal chamber of commerce representing Jackson County business community.
• Overton County Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal chamber of commerce representing Overton County business community.
• Smith County Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal chamber of commerce representing Smith County business community.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative: Member-owned rural electric cooperative in Tennessee serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers through TVA wholesale supply — directly comparable in scope and member service approach.
• Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation: Tennessee-based electric cooperative serving members across multiple counties with TVA-supplied power; directly comparable as a member-owned cooperative with similar residential and business programs.
• Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative: Tennessee electric cooperative distributing power to members in middle Tennessee under TVA wholesale supply; directly comparable in structure and service offering.
• Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation: Tennessee electric cooperative that has a documented mutual aid relationship with UCEMC and shares the TVA wholesale model — directly comparable as a peer cooperative.
• Duck River Electric Membership Corporation: Tennessee electric cooperative serving residential and commercial members across a multi-county footprint with TVA-supplied power; directly comparable in size and member services.
• Volunteer Energy Cooperative: Tennessee electric cooperative distributing TVA-supplied power to members across southeast Tennessee; highly comparable in scale, governance, and product mix to UCEMC.
• Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation: Tennessee-based electric cooperative serving residential and business members across multiple counties under the same TVA wholesale supplier model — directly comparable in cooperative structure, service offerings, and operating geography.
• Caney Fork Electric Cooperative: Tennessee electric membership corporation distributing TVA power to members in the Upper Cumberland / mid-state region; strong operational and geographic comparability to UCEMC.

Broad incumbents

• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA): The federal wholesale power supplier to UCEMC and all Tennessee distribution cooperatives; broader in scope as a generation and transmission utility, but materially comparable as the upstream partner defining UCEMC's supply economics.

Others

• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA): National trade association representing electric cooperatives including UCEMC; comparable as an ecosystem participant that co-sponsors programs such as the Washington Youth Tour and provides industry support relevant to UCEMC's operating model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/UCEMC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upper-cumberland-electric

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation