CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The next electricity bills will give Cleveland City Schools officials a reason to celebrate geothermal heating and cooling, a utility official told school board members Monday.

Tom Wheeler, general manager of Cleveland Utilities, told board members to brace themselves for the 20 percent TVA rate increase that went into effect Oct. 1.

Mr. Wheeler said TVA adjusts its rates quarterly to match the rise and fall of energy costs, including the price of coal and the effect of the drought on hydroelectric generation.

“This board has taken steps in the past that will be beneficial to you now,” Mr. Wheeler said.

Three city schools use a geothermal system that regulates building temperatures using water circulating in a series of wells.

If there is a silver lining in energy news, Mr. Wheeler said, the cost of coal could come down just as the cost of oil is doing now.

“They do tend to move in tandem,” he said.

Assistant Schools Director Doug Greene said the system has been working with CU and TVA to conduct an energy audit.

“We have already begun to deal with some of the lighting issues,” he said, “and we have more to do on the centralized controls of some of our buildings.”

The board recently has discussed hiring an energy director to oversee conservation, similar to the position Bradley County Schools already have.

Mr. Wheeler said such a person very quickly can pay for his or her salary through energy savings.

He said CU is looking at installing geothermal in its own building.

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