Memphis Light, Gas & Water (MLGW) has now formally asked customers to voluntarily reduce their electricity usage during the ongoing winter weather event.
The utility began suggesting the reductions almost from the beginning of the event, which brought subfreezing temperatures and several inches of snow across the MLGW service area on Sunday. MLGW and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) issued an “energy conservation alert” that began at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
It’s hoped that the voluntary reductions will help prevent brownouts and blackouts and help the utility “avoid more dramatic actions.”
TVA said its “generating plants and transmission system are performing well.” But it seems to be preparing customers for what’s to come. “As the snow and bitterly cold temperatures move through the Valley, we could set an all-time record for power demand Wednesday morning,” TVA said on X Monday.
Here are MLGW’s tips for fast energy reduction that will make the biggest immediate impact:
• If you are drying clothes, turn the machine off and let the items continue air drying. The clothes dryer is a huge energy hog.
• Set your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower to avoid unnecessary operation of the blower on your furnace or electric heat pump.
• Unplug electric vehicles.
• Turn off all electric space heaters.
• Turn off all interior lights during the day and keep on only enough light at night to feel safe. Don’t forget indoor and outdoor holiday lights, as well as your outside porch light.
• Do not run the clothes washing machine or the dishwasher, and if possible do not use the electric range or electric oven for cooking during the conservation alert.
• Do not use blow dryers, toasters, or other high consumption appliances that use electric resistance as their heat source.
• Keep the refrigerator and freezer on, but keep the doors closed. Every time the door is opened the inside warms up a bit and energy is needed to bring the temperature back down.
• Turn off and unplug everything that isn’t in use and turn off electric power strips.
