NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Neighbors in Green Hills say Nashville Electric Service (NES) has cleared itself of wrongdoing after an investigation into widespread appliance damage that followed the winter ice storm — but the neighbors aren't satisfied with that answer.
Since our first story aired with a group of neighbors on Draughon Avenue, the number of damaged appliances has grown. At least one neighbor has spent $17,000 on replacements. Residents reported hearing two loud explosions on their street during power restoration by an out-of-town line crew contracted by NES. When the power came back on, they discovered costly damage to HVACs, outlets, kitchen appliances, and more.
Their interviews prompted NES to open an investigation. But on Friday, the utility sent neighbors an email essentially saying it does not believe it is to blame. NES has not responded to our requests for comment.
Neighbor Carl Heinemann said the principle of the matter is what drives him to keep pushing.
"It's the principle behind it. My insurance is probably going to go up because of the claim," Carl Heinemann said.
Heinemann shared the message from the utility's attorney with me, which he says previously included a promise that NES would "step up" if it was found to be at fault. We read that email together in his driveway.
The attorney's message read, in part:
"Although electrical disturbances can occur during severe weather events, the evidence does not show that excess voltage was delivered to any of the customer's homes due to any fault or improper operations on the NES system," the email said.
As ratepaying customers, the neighbors say NES owes them a more thorough investigation. They say the utility investigated itself, blamed a nearby broken crossarm, and overlooked that at least 5 customer meters failed when power was restored.
"Meters don't blow up unless something's coming back from NES," one neighbor said.
Neighbor Jill Lindner echoed that frustration.
"I think what Carl did was excellent. Reach out to NES and make them accountable for what happened, or try to make them accountable. I think that's pretty much our only recourse at this point," Kim said.
Not until after my first report did I realize this was not an isolated issue. I heard from people in other neighborhoods in the city with similar problems — including East Nashville and the Charlotte Park and Battlemont neighborhoods.
So what options do affected residents have? Legal experts I consulted warned it is hard to sue public utilities because the laws protect them in many ways. The best options are likely to work through your insurance and, if necessary, escalate concerns to the Tennessee Valley Authority.
For the neighbors on Draughon Avenue, the fight is about more than their street.
"We're sticking up not just for our street, but for everyone in Davidson County," one Heinemann said.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at hannah.mcdonald@newschannel5.com.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
The Jefferson Street Sound Museum is a great little gem in North Nashville. The founder and curator turned his home into a museum to keep the legacy of historic Jefferson street alive. Now, it's been named a stop on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. Aaron Cantrell takes us inside.
- Lelan Statom
