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GENERAL
INFORMATION
 The
Springfield Electric Department is responsible
for the purchase and distribution of
electric power to approximately eight
thousand (8,000) customers within the
city of Springfield. A team of eighteen
(18) employees is responsible for the
construction, maintenance and operation
of the distribution system. The City
of Springfield purchases its electrical
power from the Tennessee Valley Authority
(TVA).
ELECTRIC CODE
The current edition of the National
Electric Code, as prepared by the National
Fire Protection Association and as adopted
by the State of Tennessee, has been
adopted as the City of Springfield electric
code.
HOW TO INITIATE
ELECTRIC SERVICE
The City of Springfield is a full
service city that provides electric,
water, wastewater, gas and sanitation
utility services which are collectively
billed on one monthly statement as a
convenience for our  customers.
New service can be initiated by visiting
the new services window on the first
floor of City Hall, completing an application,
and paying all service fees and deposits.
City Hall is located at 405 North Main
Street and the telephone number is 615-382-2200.
The current rates and fees for electric
service can be found on the City of
Springfield home page by clicking on
Rates and Fees.
HOW RATES ARE
STRUCTURED
Electric rates are made up of three
components including a customer service
charge, a demand charge, and an energy
charge. The customer charge is a flat
monthly charge which recovers fixed
costs such as materials, operations
and maintenance, and accounting costs.
Demand charges are in the form of dollars
per kilowatt. Demand charges recover
the supplier's capital investment and
substation costs associated with providing
sufficient capacity to a customer, regardless
of energy used. The energy charge is
in the form of cents per kilowatt-hour
and is for purchased power and fuel.
Customers are grouped into classes according
to expected energy and demand needs.
Small commercial and residential customers
pay only customer and energy charges.
Large commercial and industrial customers
pay customer, demand and energy charges.
HOW EXISTING
FACILITIES ARE ACQUIRED
Springfield Electric Department
constructs most of its facilities with
its own personnel. Capital improvements
are usually funded with electric revenue,
less power cost to TVA. A portion of
the electric system has been acquired
from plant purchased from Cumberland
Electric Membership Corporation (CEMC)
in accordance with a formula defined
by state law.
Two of the Springfield
Electric Department's substations were
acquired from TVA through a lease-purchase
program initiated by TVA in the 1970's.
The substations are now completely paid
for.
OPERATIONS AND
MAINTENANCE REGULATIONS
The Electric Department has implemented
a scheduled maintenance program for
its substation equipment. Generally,
all maintenance and testing work on
equipment must be performed in conformance
with National Electric Testing Association
(NETA) requirements. Painting is performed
in accordance with the Steel Structure
Painting Code (SSPC). At a minimum,
all operations and construction practices
must conform to the National Electric
Code (NEC) and the National Electric
Safety Code (NESC). Other codes and
agencies govern the department's operations
in whole or in part including the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA),
and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
FOR CUSTOMERS
Respect for the power of electricity
in the best way to avoid electrical
accidents. It is important to remember
that the electricity inside your home
comes from outside your home via transformers,
utility poles, and overhead or buried
cables. If someone has received an electric
shock from live, indoor electricity
shut off the power if possible. If it
is not possible, use a dry wooden stick,
dry rope, or dry clothing to move the
victim away from the power sources.
 If
someone is in contact with a live outdoor
power line, the only safe thing to do
is to call your electric utility and
have them turn the power off. Call an
ambulance immediately! DO NOT ATTEMPT
to move any outdoor electrical equipment
or the victim.
In case of an electrical
fire, unplug the appliance when possible.
If smoke comes from wires or electric
motors, turn the power off. If a fire
is small, use a fire extinguisher rated
specifically for electrical fires or
plain baking soda to put it out. NEVER
USE WATER to put out an electric fire.
If a power line
or broken wire is down near your house,
DO NOT TOUCH IT! Never assume the wire
is dead. Call the Springfield Electric
Department immediately to make the necessary
repairs.
Customers
should also remember the following electrical
rules:
Fuses or circuit
breakers "blow" when there
is an overload, short or faulty appliance.
Correct the problem before restoring
power.
Electricity will
go to ground through any good conductor
including metal, liquid or you. Stay
out of its path. Never touch appliances
or wires with wet hands or feet.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
INFORMATION AND TIPS
A variety of free literature is
available to customers through the Central
Avenue office including:
- Outdoor Lighting
- Electrical
Safety
- Heat Pumps
- How to Save
on Electric Bills
- Preventing
Hypothermia
- How to Read
Your Electric Meter
- Enhanced Growth
Credit Program
- Residential
Surge Protection Program
- New Homes
Program
- Water Heater
Credit Program
HEAT PUMP
PROGRAM AND BENEFITS
Springfield
Electric and TVA have created the Energy
Right Heat Pump Program in order to
help our customers save money and energy
through the use of high efficiency electric
heat pumps. Through this program, Springfield
Electric and TVA offer customers low
interest, fixed rate loans with no money
down to finance the cost of high efficiency
heat pumps. Payment is conveniently
added onto the customer's monthly bill
and can be spread over as many as ten
(10) years.
The energy efficient
heat pump is an economical way to cool
and heat a home. A heat pump performs
the same functions as a central air
conditioner, dehumidifier, and central
heating system. In the summer, a heat
pump removes the heat from the air inside
of your home and pumps it outdoors.
During the winter, the system reverses
itself and absorbs heat found in the
air outside of your home and pumps it
indoors. A single thermostat controls
all components of the system and the
system is installed by a Quality Contractor
Network member. This means that your
heat pump will be installed to your
satisfaction. The All Electric New Home
Program is also provided to builders
and/or homeowners in the Springfield
Electric Department's service area.
RESIDENTIAL SURGE PROTECTION AVAILABLE
Occasionally, an unsuppressed
power surge can bypass a pole transformer
and enter a customer's home causing
extensive damage to appliances and household
equipment. Pole-mounted lightning arrestors
and transformers are often inadequate
to protect sensitive electronic equipment.
Secondary power surge protection at
the service entrance is the most effective
way to solve this problem. The Springfield
Electric Department recommends and offers
the TESCO 240MSA meter socket surge
arrester for this purpose. The device
is very reliable and TESCO offers a
ten (10) year warranty on product replacement
and connected equipment and appliances.
Springfield Electric
residential customers are eligible to
purchase this meter socket surge arrester
through the Electric Department. Customers
must pay the one hundred dollar ($100.00)
service fee per installation in advance
or through billing arrangement with
the City. Customers must also sign an
agreement holding Springfield Electric,
the City of Springfield and all employees
harmless from all claims due to any
failure of the device. All warranties
are between the customer and TESCO only.
Springfield Electric personnel will
install the device and replace it if
it is defective.
Customers
interested in this service may contact
the Springfield Electric Department
Office by dialing 615-384-6770.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Springfield Electric Department
718 Central Avenue
Springfield, Tennessee 37172
Telephone: 615-384-6770
Fax: 615-382-1642
After Hours Emergency Telephone: 615-384-8422
Office Hours: Monday through Friday,
7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Robert Gardner,
Director of Electric Utilities
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Springfield, Tennessee 37172