Duck River Electric Forms New Partnership with Southern TN Weather

The Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) and the Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at DREMC’s headquarters to celebrate a new partnership aimed at strengthening weather readiness and energy reliability across Southern Middle Tennessee.

The collaboration pairs DREMC with Southern TN Weather, the hyperlocal weather service formerly known as Shelbyville Weather and founded by meteorologist Elijah Kirby. Kirby’s coverage footprint overlaps closely with DREMC’s service area, a connection that officials say will provide important benefits to both residents and the cooperative.

According to DREMC, hyperlocal real-time weather data plays a vital role during severe weather events. Up-to-the-minute information supports faster operational decisions, enhances outage response, and improves the safety of field crews working in hazardous conditions. President and CEO James Wright said the partnership felt like a natural fit from the start, noting that employees had relied on Kirby’s forecasts long before formal discussions began.

“Elijah’s reputation at such a young age is impressive,” Wright said. “Having him here at Duck River headquarters adds another layer of safety for our employees and the communities we serve.”

As part of the partnership, DREMC has provided Southern TN Weather with dedicated office space inside its system operations center. The location provides immediate access to backup power and direct communication with DREMC staff, strengthening the cooperative’s ability to monitor storms and accelerate power-restoration efforts.

Kirby, a degreed meteorologist and trained National Weather Service storm spotter, has built a following of more than 30,000 across his platforms. His rebranded service now features daily forecast updates, street-level storm tracking, and 24/7 livestream coverage, along with a new mobile app available on major app stores.

DREMC leaders say the partnership sets the stage for continued innovation in weather intelligence and public safety.

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