Home Uplift Celebrates 6,000th Upgrade

On the outskirts of Jonesborough, Tennessee, just west of Johnson City, Mark Morton’s single-family home sits atop a quiet hill.

As the sun sets on a warm summer evening, Morton steps onto his east-facing front porch, where the last rays weave through a blooming cherry blossom tree onto the lawn below.

The light casts a warm halo over the cow pastures and a cemetery near his home, eventually setting behind rolling hills to the west.

For Morton, this view is more than picturesque. It’s where he finds solace.

“It’s almost majestic,” Morton said.

A retired Marine and disabled veteran, he spends his days advancing his education and volunteering for disaster relief agencies alongside his wife.

In his free time, he tinkers with his Dodge diesel truck and undertakes home improvements, updating his kitchen and redoing floors.

Improving on a home can be challenging. But he’s not alone.

Morton is one of about 1,200 homeowners who participate in TVA EnergyRight’s Home Uplift program every year.

And this year, he helped TVA and local power company partners reach a significant milestone by becoming the 6,000th homeowner to receive energy upgrades through Home Uplift.

"Getting to 6,000 homes is huge,” Melissa Martin, TVA Home Uplift program manager, said. “Knowing the impact we’ve made and hearing stories from the people we’ve helped just says it all for me. It truly changes lives in a wonderful way.”

Improving Quality of Life

Since 2018, Home Uplift has provided participating homeowners an average of $10,000 each in free home energy upgrades, including HVAC units, attic and wall insulation, duct sealing, electric water heaters and more.

It’s part of a $1.5 billion energy efficiency and demand response initiative aimed at offsetting nearly 30% of load growth and peak demand over the next decade.

The program connects homeowners like Morton to energy experts, including local power companies and TVA-vetted contractors. They identify ways to reduce energy inefficiencies inside homes and improve quality of life across the Valley region.

For the Morton family, the program led to significant home improvements.

They replaced their 10-year-old HVAC system, sealed air gaps, insulated the attic, replaced the basement vent cover and even installed outside ventilation for a bathroom fan.

The upgrades came as a welcome surprise.

“We researched grants from our local area and stumbled upon TVA,” Morton said. “We were just trying to get our windows upgraded. But it ended up being so much more than that.”

After checking his eligibility in the online application, Morton received an approval message in less than a month.

A local contractor visited Morton’s home, identifying areas for improvement. The contractor remedied minor issues before proceeding with the upgrades, guiding the Morton family through the entire project.

“I’m so grateful that there is a local company that cares about its customers and tries to improve their quality of life,” Morton said. “And on top of that, the professionalism in which they do it is outstanding. That’s high class right there.”

Community Partners

TVA relies on community partners and more than 50 local power company partners to make Home Uplift possible.

In Johnson City, TVA and BrightRidge have contributed more than $3 million for home improvements benefiting more than 250 families in the service area. BrightRidge also worked on a home with the Bank of Tennessee and partners alongside local service providers to expand outreach for potential program participants.

“This is a mission of public service, and Home Uplift is a huge component – but only one component – of how we work each day to improve the lives of our customers,” Jeff Dykes, BrightRidge CEO, said.

The efforts in Johnson City alone contribute to a net energy savings of 22.12 gigawatt hours. For the environment, that’s equivalent to planting 1.27 million trees.

Across the seven-state region, TVA has helped thousands of homeowners thanks to over $69 million in total funding from TVA, local power companies, charitable donors and state and federal agencies.

“When working to improve the community, it truly takes all the partners one can find, pulling together to improve the community’s housing stock and the individual lives of homeowners,” Dykes said.

Alongside its direct benefits – saving homeowners an average of $500 per year and reducing home energy use by 25% – the Home Uplift program also carries ancillary benefits.

Improved comfort. Better health outcomes. Improved quality of life.

“We hope that, when we’re finished, you will see a reduction in your power bill while also living more comfortably, healthier and having more money in your pocket,” Martin said.

“It’s about reaching those who have not been reached, giving them an advantage and an opportunity to thrive.”

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