What Morristown Utilities does

Morristown Utilities (legal entity Morristown Utilities Commission) is a chartered municipal, publicly-owned multi-utility provider serving Morristown, Tennessee and parts of adjacent Hamblen, Grainger, and Jefferson Counties in East Tennessee. Founded in February 1901 and operating as an enterprise fund of the City of Morristown, MU delivers four core utility services: electric power distribution (sourced wholesale from the Tennessee Valley Authority), water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, and FiberNET telecommunications over a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network offering internet (500 Mbps to 1 Gbps symmetric), IPTV (three tiers up to 200+ channels), and unlimited long-distance telephone. The organization is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners appointed by City Council and led by a General Manager; only eight General Managers and 47 Commissioners have served across its 125-year history, reflecting unusual leadership stability.

Underlying infrastructure is substantial relative to the service territory population. Water operations run a 24 MGD treatment plant (averaging ~10.5 MGD daily production) supported by 300 miles of distribution pipe, 14 storage reservoirs, and 9 pump stations, with roughly half of treated water sold wholesale to surrounding utility districts. Wastewater operations comprise two treatment plants (Turkey Creek at 7.5 MGD and Lowland at 500,000 GPD), 29 pump stations, ~280 miles of gravity sewer, and 33 miles of force main. FiberNET leverages 100% fiber optic FTTH with sub-5ms latency and adds managed WiFi through a partnership with Plume (MAX Home WiFi and MAX Business WiFi mesh services). SCADA systems provide 24/7 supervisory monitoring across water, wastewater, and pump stations. The utility maintains Diamond Level RP3 certification from the American Public Power Association (continuously held since 2005) and Tree Line USA designation for 19 consecutive years.

The business model is a regulated cost-of-service, rate-based revenue model typical of municipal utilities. Revenue is generated through usage-based charges for power (cents/kWh plus customer charge), water (per 1,000 gallons with tiered inside/outside-city rates), and wastewater (per 1,000 gallons), plus recurring subscriptions for FiberNET internet, TV, and phone — bundled with $5-$15/mo discounts. Deposits and minimum monthly bills provide baseline revenue, and bundle attach is a deliberate ARPU lever. Commercial activity is split between residential, business/commercial, and wholesale utility-district water customers. As a not-for-profit, customer-owned entity, MU funds all operations through rates and charges (no City tax income) and is independently audited by Coulter & Justus, P.C. The organization is not venture-backed, not publicly traded, has no parent or subsidiaries, and operates within a fixed certificated territory that provides regulatory exclusivity against competing electric, water, sewer, and (within footprint) fiber providers.

Name

Morristown Utilities

Legal name

Morristown Utilities Commission

Website

https://musfiber.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1901

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Morristown Utilities is a chartered municipal, publicly-owned multi-utility serving Morristown, Tennessee and surrounding East Tennessee counties with electric power (TVA-sourced), water, wastewater, and FiberNET fiber-to-the-home internet, TV, and phone services under a regulated cost-of-service model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electric Power Service: Residential and commercial electric power distribution service billed monthly based on kWh consumption and demand charges. Rates include base energy rate, fuel cost adjustment, and environmental fees. MU purchases power from TVA and resells to customers.
2. Water Service: Water distribution service with tiered pricing based on meter size and gallons consumed. Inside city and outside city rates apply. Monthly minimum bills based on water meter size.
3. Wastewater Service: Sewer collection and treatment service with monthly minimum bills based on meter size and sewer usage rates per 1000 gallons. Industrial pretreatment surcharges apply for commercial users.
4. FiberNET Internet Service: Residential and business internet service via fiber optic connection with tiered speed options (250 Mbps to 1 Gbps). Monthly subscription pricing with optional add-ons.
5. FiberNET TV Service: Television programming packages (Value, Select, Premier tiers) with optional premium channels and DVR storage. Bundled pricing available with internet and phone.
6. FiberNET Phone Service: Local and long distance telephone service with unlimited calling and 20+ calling features. Residential and business line options available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Morristown Utilities is a municipal, community-owned utility that delivers electric power (sourced from TVA), water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, and FiberNET fiber-to-the-home telecommunications (internet, TV, and phone) to residential and commercial customers in Morristown, Tennessee and surrounding Hamblen, Grainger, and Jefferson counties.

Product overview

Morristown Utilities operates as a multi-service public utility providing essential services to Morristown, Tennessee and surrounding counties. The company operates two main divisions: traditional utilities (power, water, wastewater) and telecommunications branded as FiberNET. FiberNET delivers a triple-play bundle of internet (500 Mbps-1 Gbps fiber-to-the-home), television (3 tiers: Value/Select/Premier with 25-205+ channels), and telephone services (unlimited long distance with 20+ features). WiFi services use Plume technology under the MAX Home WiFi brand. Traditional utility services include TVA-supplied power distribution, regional water treatment/distribution, and wastewater collection/treatment. The company offers online planning tools for service calculation and operates community programs including Operation Round Up charitable giving and Energy Efficiency programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FiberNET: FiberNET is the fiber optic communications system managed and built by Morristown Utilities. It provides advanced video (TV), internet, and telephone services to residents and businesses in Morristown. FiberNET is a Fiber to the Home (FTTH) system offering internet speeds up to 1 Gbps, television packages (Value, Select, Premier tiers), and residential telephone service with unlimited long distance and 20+ calling features.
• MAX Home WiFi
• MAX Business WiFi

Products and services

• FiberNET Internet

Quantifiable outcome

• Water treatment capacity of 24 MGD with average daily production of 10.5 MGD
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTVA is MU's wholesale power supplier. MU purchases all power from TVA and resells to customers. TVA sets wholesale rates that MU passes through to customers. TVA also provides programs like EnergyRight for energy efficiency, Green Switch for renewable energy options, and Green Connect for solar installation support.
• PlumecoreTechnology or IntegrationPlume is MU's technology partner for MAX Home WiFi and MAX Business WiFi mesh systems. Plume provides the cloud-coordinated WiFi software and hardware (SuperPods) that enables adaptive WiFi, AI security, parental controls, and smart home protection features.
• Tennessee Valley Public Power AssociationminorOthersProfessional association for public power utilities in the Tennessee Valley region.
• American Public Power AssociationminorOthersNational trade association representing publicly owned electric utilities. MU participates in APPA programs including RP3 certification.
• Electric Power Research InstituteminorOthersEPRI conducts research and development for the electric power industry. MU is listed as a related link on their power-related resources page.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EPB (Electric Power Board of Chattanooga): Tennessee municipal electric utility that also operates EPB Fiber Optics, the most prominent municipal FTTH triple-play provider in the U.S. Closest direct analog to Morristown Utilities' electric-plus-fiber business model in the same state.
• Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB): Tennessee municipal utility providing electric, water, and wastewater services across Knox County. Direct multi-service municipal peer with similar scale, regulatory framework, and TVA wholesale power relationship.
• Jackson Energy Authority: Tennessee municipal utility providing electric, natural gas, water, wastewater, and fiber/broadband services in Jackson, TN. Direct multi-service municipal peer that has also built a fiber broadband division, similar to MU's FiberNET.
• Bristol Tennessee Essential Services (BTES): Tennessee municipal electric utility that also operates a fiber broadband network (BRISTOL Essential Internet Services). Closely comparable East Tennessee municipal utility with electric + fiber model.
• Cleveland Utilities (CUB): Tennessee municipal utility providing electric, water, and wastewater services in Cleveland, TN. Comparable multi-service municipal utility with TVA wholesale power supply.

Regional players

• Greeneville Light & Power System: Tennessee municipal electric utility serving Greeneville and Greene County. Comparable East Tennessee municipal electric utility under TVA wholesale framework, though smaller and without fiber.
• Sevier County Electric System: Tennessee electric cooperative serving Sevier County with TVA power. Comparable regional utility in the same TVA service area, though structured as a cooperative rather than municipal entity.
• Chattanooga's HCS (Hamilton County Water & Wastewater Treatment Authority) area utilities: Regional Tennessee water and wastewater authority. Relevant comparable for the scale and operational model of municipal water/wastewater infrastructure serving Tennessee communities.

Others

• Plume (Cable One / Calix-adjacent smart home platform): Technology partner powering MU's MAX Home WiFi mesh and adaptive WiFi platform. Relevant as an ecosystem enabler and comparable for managed WiFi services offered by other municipal and cooperative utilities.

Broad incumbents

• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA): Federal wholesale power supplier and upstream counterparty for MU's electric business. Relevant as the dominant incumbent in the Tennessee Valley power ecosystem that defines MU's electric cost structure and program access.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MorristownUtilities
• Xx.com/MUtilitySystems
• Facebookfacebook.com/morristownutilities
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/morristown-utilities-systems

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 Morristown Utilities