Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) provides electric, fiber, natural gas, water, and wastewater treatment services to more than 501,000 customers in Knoxville and parts of seven surrounding counties. Each utility division is supported by a team of engineers collaborating to develop innovative strategies that ensure safe, reliable, and affordable utilities.
Engineering at a multi-division utility, like KUB, presents a unique mix of opportunities. Vice President of Engineering Kurt Stafford said this provides employees with a lot of potential roles and opportunities within engineering and across the organization. “In my background as an engineer, I get to do a lot of neat stuff here that I probably wouldn’t have been able to experience anywhere else,” Stafford said. “We are always trying to use and implement the newest technology across each utility division.” This commitment to innovation and continuous improvement is exemplified through KUB’s Century II program.
Century II is KUB’s infrastructure maintenance and replacement program that ensures continued reliability for its customers. Since the program began in 2007, electric reliability has improved by 33 percent, sanitary sewer overflows in the wastewater system decreased by 80 percent, water main breaks reduced by 60 percent, and reduced the amount of metallic natural gas mains by 50 percent.
KUB also focuses on the latest technologies and how its customers may benefit from their implementation. KUB’s long-term rollout of fault location, isolation, and service restoration (FLISR) devices, along with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and fiber technology, continues to enhance electric system reliability. Since 2020, this technology has avoided more than 28 million minutes of service interruption for KUB customers. The ability to increase system automation and support new technology was also foundational in KUB’s decision to introduce KUB Fiber high-speed internet.
In Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), KUB entered the pilot phase of an in-house drone inspection program that aims to increase efficiency of underground construction planning in its water division. This builds on KUB’s ongoing approach to leverage advancing technologies, such as enhanced leak detection and analytics, to deliver industry-leading water services to its customers. Video pipe inspections enhanced with artificial intelligence, manhole inspections, smoke testing, and blockage abatement allow KUB to prevent sewer overflows. In the natural gas division, KUB is piloting a program to replace over 100,000 residential natural gas meters with ultrasonic meters, which will provide greater accuracy, enhanced safety with automated remote shut-off capability, and a lower profile compared to traditional meters.
KUB’s technological advancements and innovations reflect a consistent effort to support the area’s economic growth. As Knoxville and the surrounding regions continue to expand, Stafford emphasized the importance of anticipating and understanding future utility needs. “Our New Service Engineering department is critical to this mission. We work collaboratively with developers and contractors to help our region develop,” Stafford said. KUB’s engineering teams bring a diverse range of skills, all united by the common goal of enhancing each utility system, including KUB’s newest fiber division.
As part of its commitment to fostering innovation, KUB’s Student Program offers college students part-time positions and co-op opportunities, providing hands-on experience in the world of public utilities.