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Middle Tennessee Electric, TVA forecast record winter peak; residents asked to reduce usage early morning
Summary
Middle Tennessee Electric and TVA officials told the commission they expect a record winter electricity peak and asked residents to avoid high-demand appliances between 5 and 10 a.m. to help meet the forecasted peak.
Representatives of Middle Tennessee Electric and TVA briefed the Wilson County Commission on Jan. 21 and said they expect a historic winter peak in electricity demand overnight and into the early morning hours.
Chuck Barber of Middle Tennessee Electric told the commission that TVA and local planners had met and that TVA reported sufficient generation to meet the expected demand, but that the forecast indicated a new all‑time record peak in the Tennessee Valley. Barber said the peak was expected early the next morning, around 5 a.m., and that TVA’s forecast had increased to an anticipated 36,000-plus megawatts.
A Middle Tennessee Electric official asked county residents to avoid using high-load appliances — such as clothes washers, dryers and dishwashers — between about 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. to ease stress on the system during the forecasted peak. The local electric provider emphasized its role in communication and member service during the event and encouraged customers to call the company with outage or service concerns.
Speakers said the region’s load is growing and that natural gas and nuclear generation will be important in TVA’s generation mix alongside renewable additions. County leaders thanked the utility representatives for the update and urged residents to follow the temporary conservation measures if possible.
