Nashville Electric Service is switching from petroleum-based mineral oil to a renewable source – soybean oil – in all new distribution transformers.

Soy-based oil is biodegradable, non-toxic and much more fire resistant than mineral oil. In addition, it is more efficient and evidence suggests it will extend the life of the equipment.

“We are eliminating the need for over 150,000 gallons of petroleum-based mineral oil annually,” says Paul Allen, NES vice president of Operations.

NES is doing its part to fulfill Mayor Karl Dean’s vision of making Nashville “the greenest city in the Southeast” by adopting the recommendation of the Mayor’s Green Ribbon Committee on Environmental Sustainability.

“NES continues to demonstrate its commitment to the environment and our community,” Dean said. “I congratulate and thank them for taking a leading role with this initiative and showing us we can implement renewable energy alternatives to better our environment and achieve a greener Nashville.”

The use of soy oil is part of an extensive environmental plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower the carbon footprint of the city of Nashville. The plan, presented to the mayor this past spring by his Green Ribbon Committee, includes 16 goals and 71 recommendations to make Nashville a leader in environmental quality and livability.

NES is taking other steps to further its focus on environmental sustainability. The utility has created an NES Green Team of employees from across the organization to implement various green initiatives within the company, including in-house recycling, green cleaning, a computer energy savings program, vehicle idling control, a hybrid vehicle program, reducing water and energy use in the main building by 10%, and developing a public demonstration project.