KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – With the coldest temperatures in more than a year expected to arrive overnight Wednesday, the Tennessee Valley Authority and local power companies are working to ensure the availability of safe and reliable electricity.

 

            Conserving power where possible is a first step. All consumers – residential, commercial and industrial customers     are being asked to join in, especially during the coldest period from Wednesday night through noon on Friday.

 

“As we have done through the last several rounds of cold weather, TVA will use all of our available generating sources to meet the expected high power demand, which will likely peak on Thursday morning,” said Jacinda Woodward, senior vice president of TVA Transmission and Power Supply. “As consumers of TVA power, we all can step up to help reduce power consumption and lower our own power bills at the same time.”

 

Saving power in cold weather doesn’t require drastic actions. Simply turning down the thermostat even a single degree can save up to 3 percent on future power bills.

 

Beginning today, TVA will be following its own advice by lowering thermostats at its office buildings and other facilities, and many local power companies are doing the same.

 

Additional tips for saving on your power bill and reducing electric demand can be found on TVA’s EnergyRight Solutions website, and include:

 

Opening the blinds on the south side of your home during sunny days, but keeping the blinds closed on cloudy days and at night. Postpone using electric appliances such as dishwashers, dryers and cooking equipment during peak power use times early in the morning and early in the evening. Turn off nonessential lights, appliances, electronics and other electrical equipment.
 

 

TVA’s bulk electric system remains secure and stable at this time. Wednesday evening’s peak power demand is expected to exceed 30,000 megawatts, as regional temperatures are forecast to drop into single digits. The biggest peak demand will likely occur Thursday morning with electric loads reaching nearly 33,000 megawatts. In comparison, demand was 32,751 megawatts during the height of the cold wave on Jan. 7, 2015.

 

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power distributors serving 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.