TVA asks customers to start conserving electricity immediately
Memphis Light, Gas and Water announced Tuesday that TVA is projecting peak electricity demand Wednesday morning. MLGW is TVA’s largest electric customer. (Daily Memphian file)
The Tennessee Valley Authority asked customers to voluntarily conserve electricity Tuesday afternoon, according to Memphis Light, Gas and Water.
MLGW posted on social media just before 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21, that TVA is asking customers to conserve electricity voluntarily, effective immediately.
Conserving electricity means turning thermostats to 68 degrees or below, unplugging unused appliances, and avoiding running the washer, dryer, dishwasher and other appliances that use a lot of electricity.
The call for conservation comes as frigid temperatures grip the region and have forced electricity demand near all-time highs.
MLGW announced earlier Tuesday that TVA could see peak all-time electricity demand Wednesday morning, Jan. 22. It said customers would be asked to conserve power.
TVA is projecting peak demand Wednesday morning, according to MLGW. Power consumption could pass the 34,000 megawatts used in January 2024 when TVA’s entire footprint was asked to conserve power.
The warning from MLGW comes as TVA’s footprint has seen very high energy demand throughout the past two days. On Monday and Tuesday mornings, Jan. 20 and 21, TVA’s energy demand was more than 32,000 megawatts, according to Energy Information Administration data.
That is similar to consumption on one of the hottest days of the summer, a level TVA rarely reaches.
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TVA MLGWSamuel Hardiman
Samuel Hardiman is an enterprise and investigative reporter who focuses on local government and politics. A native Rhode Islander who lives Downtown, he enjoys tennis, golf and reading.
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