Incentives are a schedule problem
Most lost incentives aren’t rejected. They’re forfeited. Work started before pre-approval, a contractor substituted a fixture that isn’t on the Qualified Products List, or the closeout package went in missing a document and the program’s deadline passed. The money was available; the project fell outside the rules.
The decision that matters is who will manage the incentive process on your project, and when that work has to start. The answer to “when” is almost always earlier than people expect: at design, not at installation.
Programs in our region
| Utility or program | Where | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| TVA EnergyRight, through your local power company | North Mississippi (including Tupelo Water & Light), North Alabama and other TVA local power companies | Pre-approval before work starts; applications go through approved partners; extra credit for networked controls; separate tracks for standard lighting and new construction |
| MLGW with TVA EnergyRight | Memphis and Shelby County | MLGW is a TVA local power company, so EnergyRight’s rules apply |
| Entergy Mississippi Solutions for Business | Entergy Mississippi service territory | Commercial programs, including a small-business track; requirements vary by track |
| Mississippi Power commercial programs | Mississippi Power service territory in southeast Mississippi | Commercial and industrial programs; networked lighting controls are listed as eligible in the large commercial and industrial program |
Program terms, budgets and eligible measures change, sometimes mid-year. We confirm the current rules with program staff at the start of each project and again before submission, which is also why we don’t publish incentive amounts.
How we work with TVA EnergyRight
TVA EnergyRight routes commercial applications through approved partners and requires pre-approval before work begins. We prepare the complete application package (inventories, wattages, operating hours, product data, QPL confirmations and drawings) and coordinate with your local power company and the program’s approved partners so the submission is complete the first time. Then we hold the project to a clear line: no fixture is ordered and no ceiling tile is lifted until pre-approval is in writing.
EnergyRight gives extra credit for networked lighting controls. That makes controls design a financial decision as much as a technical one, and it’s one reason we design controls and incentives together rather than one after the other. Our post on getting the most from TVA EnergyRight walks through the process step by step.
Product selection and timing on the DLC QPL
Most lighting and controls incentives depend on products listed on the DesignLights Consortium Qualified Products List. Three timing issues catch projects out:
- Listings change. Products are added and delisted, and the networked controls requirements have moved to NLC 5.2. We check the listing when we specify and again before ordering.
- Substitutions. A contractor’s “or equal” may not be listed. We review submittals against the approved application before purchase.
- Program windows. Pre-approvals often carry a completion deadline. We build it into the construction schedule, with margin.
Measurement and documentation
Programs pay on evidence. We document existing conditions with fixture counts, wattages, photos and operating hours, and the finished project the same way. Where a program accepts or requires metered data, Lytbit Ledger provides it. Records from our commissioning work double as proof that the controls were installed and configured as claimed.
A note on 179D
The federal 179D deduction is not available for property whose construction begins after June 30, 2026. It may still apply to projects already underway. The rules are detailed, so consult your tax advisor; we can provide the energy documentation they ask for.
Stacking with financing
Incentives work alongside lighting-as-a-service and other financing. The agreement decides who receives the incentive and how it reduces the financed amount, so settle that before the application goes in. If you’re not sure where to start, a Baseline Assessment includes program screening.
