With temperatures forecast to dip below zero degrees Wednesday night, Tennessee Valley Authority officials are making sure they have enough power on reserve to meet peak demands.
TVA Spokesperson Chris Stanley said the energy provider has been watching the situation for days.
“This is something that we’re prepared for. And we’re continuing to watch it moment to moment. We are making sure that we’re going to supply the power that’s needed in the valley,” Stanley said.
TVA Spokesperson Scott Brooks said the situation isn’t as severe as last year’s polar vortex, but officials will make moment-by-moment decisions as circumstances evolve.
“There are a lot of things that could happen before Wednesday, both positive and negative. So, it’s a little early to make any decisions that far out,” Brooks said.
According to Brooks, TVA is under a power conservation alert, meaning non-essential maintenance work is on hold for the week. Stanley said customers can also help by taking steps to conserve energy in their home.
“As everybody across the valley looks at ways to use power wisely, then that helps to make sure that we have sufficient generation to go across the valley in cold weather like this,” Stanley said.
Brooks said peak demand is expected Wednesday and Thursday when lows below zero are expected. If the situation becomes severe enough, TVA could ask customers to voluntarily reduce power consumption and cut service for customers with interruptible service contracts.
