Update, 10:35 a.m.: The TVA-required rolling blackouts have ended, according to CDE. However, residents are still urged to continue steps to reduce power usage.
“We still need our customers’ help to keep the load down on our system,” Pease said.
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Meanwhile, Clarksville Street Department has begun clearing streets of snow and ice, and laying down salt in anticipation of sunshine and highs above 20 degrees, according to a city news release.
Motorists should anticipate encountering salt trucks and are advised to give them plenty of room to do their work safely and effectively.
LIVE VIDEO: Click here for road conditions on Clarksville traffic cameras.
Update, 8:15 a.m.: The blackouts in Clarksville will roll through every three to four hours, according to Lindsey Pease, spokesperson for CDE Lightband. So, after your street has a planned 15-minute blackout, you can expect another one in three to four hours.
“We go through all the circuits, and everyone gets a turn,” she told Clarksville Now.
Those with medical conditions that require electricity, who are on CDE’s critical power needs list, will also be affected, and they were previously advised to have a backup plan.
Each circuit has a different number of customers, so the number affected by each rollout will vary, but they will be roughly the same. For example, the 8 a.m. rollout affected about 620 customers.
Previously:
CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Rolling blackouts will begin immediately for CDE customers in Clarksville, CEMC customers in Montgomery County, and all TVA power users across Tennessee.
Tennessee Valley Authority has directed all other local power companies to interrupt power in 15-minute intervals.
CDE is posting the neighborhoods set for outages every 15 minutes at its Facebook page, CDE Lightband | Facebook.
“We will continue this process till TVA has terminated this request. We are very sorry for this inconvenience as we know this is not easy on any of our customers,” CDE said in an email this morning.
“By reducing your power usage, you can help keep your own power bill under control and ensure there is plenty of power available for everyone.”
Some easy ways to help with energy reduction are as follows:
- Postpone using electric appliances such as dishwashers, dryers and cooking equipment until Saturday afternoon.
- Lower heating system thermostats by 3-5 degrees.
- Turn off nonessential lights and appliances.
- Unplug unused electrical equipment.
- Keep window coverings closed on the non-sunny side of homes, but open if bright sunlight is available to provide additional heat.
Temperatures in Clarksville
The temperature in Clarksville was 8 degrees at 7 a.m., with a wind chill of -5.
Today’s high should reach 22 with sunny skies, which will be enough to get salt working on roadways.
Here’s the day-by-day outlook:
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 22. Wind chill values as low as -12. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 9. West wind around 5 mph.
Christmas Day: Sunny, with a high near 27. Light west wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Sunday night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 13. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph after midnight.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of snow showers before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday night: Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.