DREMC celebrates new partnership with Southern TN Weather with ribbon cutting

Duck River Electric Membership Corporation and the Shelbyville-Bedford Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a ribbon cutting at DREMC’s headquarters in Shelbyville in celebration of a newly forged partnership. The event officially launched the collaboration between DREMC and Southern TN Weather, the hyperlocal weather service formerly known as Shelbyville Weather, founded by local meteorologist Elijah Kirby.

Kirby’s weather coverage overlaps the areas that DREMC serves, making the partnership beneficial to those served by both entities on several levels. The newly forged partnership enhances storm readiness and energy reliability across the communities in DREMC’s footprint. Hyperlocal, real-time weather updates keep residents informed, especially during severe weather events. This same valuable information helps Duck River Electric make fast, accurate decisions to keep power flowing to homes and businesses.

At the ribbon cutting, DREMC’s President and CEO James Wright shared that before talks of partnering even began, it was clear that this collaboration was a natural fit. Long before the alliance was formed, the cooperative’s employees utilized Elijah’s weather forecasts for member safety, system operations and the safety of field crews during storms.

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

Wright adds that real-time, local forecasts allow DREMC’s operations staff to improve storm tracking and prepare for possible outages. Understanding on-the-ground conditions helps support faster, safer decision-making during power restoration. These forecasts also optimize coordination efforts, thanks to live weather intelligence tailored to specific areas.

Among the benefits of the partnership for Kirby is a new office. DREMC has opened its doors to offer Southern TN Weather a dedicated space inside its system operations center. Broadcasting and working from this location mean ready access to backup power – an essential requirement for around-the-clock weather updates. And the proximity ensures a seamless flow of weather information to DREMC staff, maximizing the cooperative’s ability to quickly restore power.

Kirby is a degreed meteorologist and trained National Weather Service Storm Spotter. He lives in Bedford County and has built an impressive following through his hyperlocal coverage of severe weather – his social platforms reach more than 30,000 followers. Kirby offers street-level forecasts, storm tracking and live severe weather coverage. Following his rebrand to Southern TN Weather, forecasts are now updated daily, with 24/7 live-stream coverage on YouTube. He has also launched an all-new best-in-class weather app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Kirby’s passion for understanding the weather began after witnessing the 2009 EF-4 tornado in Murfreesboro, transforming early fear into a lifelong commitment to weather science. In 2018, while still in high school, Kirby began Shelbyville Weather, which was first available on Facebook and later became a part of local radio stations’, WLIJ and WZNG, daily weather reports.

“Localized weather matters,” Kirby said. “It helps people prepare, stay safe, and make decisions that truly impact their lives. That’s why I do this.”

In his remarks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Wright looked ahead to a bright future for the collaboration between the two companies.  “There are many exciting things ahead,” he said. “New tools, new platforms and a partnership that will benefit thousands across our service area.”

“We’re 100% dedicated to Southern Tennessee—the place we live, work, and play,” said Kirby. “The weather is one thing that impacts everyone, and people deserve a meteorologist who understands their roads, their schools and their communities.”