KNOXVILLE. Tenn. — Portions of Kentucky are being asked to be aware of their power consumption. A small portion of Kentucky residents get power from the Tennessee Valley Authority. The TVA is asking customers to be aware of usage between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. CT on Wednesday, Jan. 17.

What You Need To Know

  • The Tennessee Valley Authority is asking customers to conserve power

  • The demand is highest from 6 a.m. until 10 a.m. CT

  • Ten of Kentucky's municipal systems receive power from the TVA

  • The TVA stresses there is no emergency with regard to power

Heavy snow and the cold temperatures are creating record high demand for electricity across the Southeast region.

Kentucky has 30 municipal systems serving over 500,000 customers. Ten of these are provided wholesale power by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and are regulated by them.

The TVA is monitoring weather and says its power systems are stable. It stresses just because it’s asking consumers to conserve energy does not mean there is an emergency with the TVA.

TVA employees and various local power companies are working to keep electricity flowing while reducing the strain on the power grid.

Why is TVA recommending power conservation?

  • Extremely cold temperatures and near-zero wind chill cause an increase in power demand for heating over an extended period for over 10 million people across the TVA seven-state region.
  • Colder temperatures mean more people are turning to electrified heat sources, pushing demand higher to a “peak.”
  • Winter limits the availability of solar generation in the morning hours.

What is Peak Demand?

Peak demand is the highest number of megawatts consumed in a specific period by power consumers all across the TVA system.

  • The record for system load at this time is 33,482 MW set on August 16, 2007. The previous record load for a winter day was 33,427 MW set on December 23, 2022.
  • In the past year, TVA has added approximately 1,500 megawatts of new natural gas generation — enough to power 878,000 homes.

What can you do to help?

  • Set your thermostat to 65-68 degrees. You can save as much as 10% per year on heating and cooling by turning your thermostat down 7°–10°F for eight hours a day in the fall and winter.
  • Ensure your window coverings on the sunny side of your house are open.
  • Unplug unused electronics
  • Unblock your air vents
  • Reduce your energy usage by turning off non-essential appliances and lights and not use large appliances during the coldest part of the day.
  • Postpone use of hot water and adjust water heater’s temperature.
  • Weatherstrip doors and windows
  • Commercial Business: Turn off any lights and office equipment (or place in sleep mode) when not in use and turn off air-conditioning/heating outside of business hours.

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