TVA power grid working overtime amid record-breaking heat

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — It’s no surprise that intense heat in Middle Tennessee has lead a lot of people to crank up the air conditioning .

Officials with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) told News 2 that this means the power grid is working overtime. The TVA System Operations Center acts as a power source to Tennessee and in six other states.

“On August fifth, we set a peak load for summer 2024,” TVA spokesperson Scott Fiedler said. “But then we beat that on August 29th…with over 31,096 megawatts.”

The power demand was at 30,500 megawatts on Wednesday. Employees have monitored the power grid day and night to keep Middle Tennesseans cool. It’s an ongoing effort — the power company has recorded longer stretches of higher usage in 2024 compared to previous years.

“In June, we saw 13 days with over 28,000 megawatts…” Fiedler added. “We’ve definitely seen the weather being hotter this summer, and that has continued all the way from June to August.”

In Middle Tennessee, the TVA is the power wholesaler provider for companies like Middle Tennessee Electric, who then distribute that power to customers. Fiedler shared some steps you can take to lower electricity costs:

• Close the blinds
• Use a ceiling fan
• Turning the air conditioner up by a degree or two

Fiedler added that the TVA has been dealing with growth as well.

“Our region is growing three times faster than the national average, and we’ve seen tremendous growth in business,” Fiedler told News 2. “We are actually building 3,500 megawatts of additional generation to keep up with growth.

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