As arctic cold weather moves into the area and temperatures drop into the teens, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the power supplier for the city’s utility, is asking that residents conserve energy until further notice.
TVA’s Electric Load Curtailment Plan requires that all customers within its service territory conserve their use of electric power as much as possible. This includes all Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW) customers.
According to a TVA Facebook post, cold temperatures have caused the power demand to reach its highest level since 2015 — 32,000 megawatts.
MLGW officials encourage customers to take the following steps to conserve and save energy dollars:
-Set the thermostat to no higher than 68 degrees, as every degree over 68 adds up to 4 percent to your bill.
-Keep the vents closed in rooms that aren’t being occupied.
-Keep central heating air filters clean.
-Close garage doors.
-Install weather stripping insulation to prevent heat from escaping.
Additionally, the utility advises the following to protect pipes from freezing:
-Open interior cabinet doors to expose pipes to warmer air, let inside faucets drip slowly, and cover all exposed outside faucets.
-Avoid turning the heat off, instead turn it down several degrees.
-Insulate above-ground pipes and water heater pipes.
See MLGW’s video below for more information on energy conservation in the winter.
As Temperatures Drop, TVA Asks Residents to Conserve Energy
