For the second time in just over a year, the Tennessee Valley Authority is requesting its customers conserve power during peak hours on Wednesday morning as temperatures remain in the single digits with subzero wind chills for a third straight day.
The snow and bitterly cold temperatures are creating record-high demand for electricity across the Southeast region. As a result, TVA President and CEO Jeff Lyash is asking customers to be aware of their power consumption, specifically on Wednesday morning between 6:00 and 10:00.
click to download audioThe previous TVA record load for a winter day was set on December 23, 2022, at 33,427 Megawatts. That number could have been higher but many businesses and schools were closed due to the holidays. As a result, several power companies, including Pennyrile Electric, instituted rolling blackouts to help keep the TVA power grid stable.
The overall record for usage was 33,482 Megawatts set on August 16, 2007.
TVA said they are actively monitoring weather conditions, conservation requests are often used in the power industry to help lower demand during a specific time and do not indicate TVA is experiencing emergency conditions.
In the past year, TVA has added approximately 1,500 megawatts of new natural gas generation — enough to power 878,000 homes.
They recommend setting thermostats to 65-68 degrees, which can save as much as 10% per year on heating and cooling by turning your thermostat down 7°–10° for eight hours a day in the fall and winter.
They also suggest unplugging unused electronics, unblocking air vents, and turning off non-essential appliances and lights.
