Memphis residents are being asked to reduce their use of electricity today as the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has activated its Emergency Load Curtailment Program.
Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW) has asked customers to voluntarily limit electrical use due to “high demand across the region.” Officials said TVA’s service area has been severely impacted by high temperatures, putting more pressure on the eclectic grid.
TVA’s program seeks to stabilize the agency’s generation and transmission during peak periods.
“This situation is not unique to Memphis – local power companies throughout the TVA region are responding to the same challenges,” MLGW said. “Our shared goal is to help lighten the load on the system so that power disruptions can be avoided.”
The utility service is asking customers to turn off unnecessary lights and electronics, raise thermostats if possible, delay usage of large appliances such as washing machines and dryers until night time, and to charge electric vehicles during “off-peak hours.”
MLGW said these changes can help stabilize the grid.
Today marks the second day this week MLGW has made this request on behalf of TVA, saying that these efforts can have “significant impact.” These precautionary measures can help prevent outages, officials said.
