Consumer efforts to conserve power, combined with the dedication of thousands of utility workers, allowed the Tennessee Valley Authority and 155 local power companies to successfully meet the highest electric demand since the “polar vortex” of January 2014.
A peak power demand of 32,723 megawatts across TVA’s seven-state service territory was reached at 8 a.m. EST on Thursday morning. Demand hovered between 29,000 and 30,000 megawatts overnight, as the average temperature across the five-largest metropolitan areas reached eight degrees Fahrenheit.
This is the third highest winter peak demand in TVA’s history, and 10th highest demand peak overall. TVA‘s all-time winter record peak demand of 33,352 megawatts was set on Jan. 24, 2014.
To meet the demand, TVA relied on its diversified portfolio of electric generating resources, including nuclear, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric and other renewable sources, as well as purchased power from other sources both inside and outside the Valley.
As slightly warmer temperatures return to the area, TVA is withdrawing its request for voluntary conservation efforts, but appreciates the support of Valley residents and businesses. Consumers are encouraged to continue taking steps to reduce their electric use and benefit from lower power bills in the future. Money saving tips for both winter and summer can be found at www.energyright.com.
Over the past five days, TVA power system operators managed a record-setting 165 percent swing in power demand. Unseasonably mild temperatures on Sunday lowered demand to only 12,343 megawatts. Meeting Thursday morning’s peak demand meant safely adding 20,380 megawatts of generating capacity while maintaining the reliability of the transmission system.
EPB thanked its customers for their cooperation and understanding. While Thursday morning’s peak demand for power on the EPB Electric System was unusually high, it fell short of last year’s all-time high of 1,328 megawatts by about 20 megawatts.