Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

RMS Energy, which provides comprehensive, safety-first power solutions across the electrical grid for utilities, industrial facilities and critical infrastructure nationwide, recently opened a new Knoxville location, which now serves as its corporate headquarters. They previously called Minnesota home.

Why Knoxville

RMS Energy’s move into the new facility at 2501 Prime Way, Knoxville, TN 37918, this past year was strategic.

First, RMS’ regional presence dates back to February 2022, when the company opened a field service location in nearby Seymour. They have been present in the community and have known the area well. The team has quickly scaled and seen significant growth in East Tennessee, which is one reason they needed this additional facility.

Secondly, East Tennessee currently sits in a unique position. With the region’s deep nuclear legacy, much of the electrical grid is built on historic infrastructure. With the rise of data centers, advanced manufacturing, and small modular reactors, demand is creating a load that outdated infrastructure cannot support. Officials are funding these necessary upgrades, and companies are needed to support the new modernization supply chain.  

Third, the RMS team noted that an estimated 40% of the industry’s skilled workforce is approaching retirement. RMS is committed to backfilling this gap by sending employees to its own Power Institute, a hands-on training facility in Orlando, Fla. With the Y-12 National Security Complex and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Knoxville’s backyard, many people here are already actively positioned for this line of work and just need this extra training step.

Lee Schreiber, director of field services, said RMS is ready to address all of these demands.

“Relocating our headquarters to Knoxville positions us for better support to this national footprint, while also aligning with the long-term interests of East Tennessee. The region offers a highly advantageous geographic location, offering efficient access to all major markets, while also serving as a central hub for broader projects,” he said.

A prime workforce example

Jacob Eldridge, regional sales manager, is a prime example that the right workforce for RMS Energy already exists right here in East Tennessee. He was once a Navy veteran who then went to work at the Y-12 National Security Complex where he became familiar with the RMS team. 

“Tennessee, specifically East Tennessee, is an emergent power generation market. The Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) extensive footprint in the region, combined with the growth of industrial and government facilities, has made the greater Knoxville area one of the most active electrical services markets in the Southeast,” said Eldridge. “There is so much work here. We’re building a lot of new builds, which creates a very huge load demand, and our electrical infrastructure is aged. We need to answer that call.”

To RMS, that call can take many forms. It may be an equipment health assessment or modernization projects that retrofit newer technology into legacy substations without a full rebuild. RMS has multiple service lines to meet a diversity of electrical needs.

The credential that sets them apart

With East Tennessee experiencing this energy boom, other companies have followed suit. But RMS has a differentiator that many similar companies do not.

At the center of RMS Energy’s value proposition is its accreditation through the International Electrical Testing Association (NETA), formerly known as the National Electrical Testing Association. The credential, earned through a rigorous application process, certifies that a company’s electrical testing services meet the highest standards of safety and reliability in the industry.

“We provide very niche solutions, however we’re needed everywhere,” said Eldridge. “Our NETA accreditation proves that we’re able to meet, if not exceed, all standards.”

Eldridge noted that to his knowledge, RMS Energy is the only NETA-accredited company operating in the East Tennessee market.

What does that accreditation look like in action? Utilities frequently lack the in-house workforce to conduct their own testing, and even when they do, performing their own verifications can create a conflict of interest.

Regulatory requirements often mandate that an independent, accredited firm validate equipment and grid systems, and that is right where RMS Energy steps in. This has opened partnerships with local electrical contractors and major regional players such as Massey Electric, BESCO, Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) and TVA.

Built on people, driven by urgency

Though the team is very proud of this accreditation, they are also quick to point out that the business runs on more than credentials. RMS was built from the outset around three hiring principles: good humans, team players and hard workers.

Most members of the RMS Energy team came up through the field themselves, and, Eldridge said, this shapes how decisions get made and how the company responds when emergencies arise.

Eldridge recounted answering a call in the early morning hours of a Sunday and driving to the North Carolina coast to help a customer work through an energy problem. In another instance, a local East Tennessee hospital lost power to its ICU in the middle of the night, and RMS’s quick response was critical.

“You’re providing something that’s bigger than you,” said Eldridge. “At RMS, you’re helping people out, and you’re a part of a team that has the same passion.”

Follow RMS Energy on LinkedIn.

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