UPDATE 8:46 A.M.: A release from Appalachian Power is urging customers to reduce their usage of electricity in an emergency request. According to the release, customers can reduce their use of electricity by:
- Setting the thermostat lower than usual if your health allows
- Postponing use of major electric appliances such as stoves, dishwashers ad dryers
- Turning off lights, equipment and appliances that you do not need on
Companies are asking customers to take these actions until 10 a.m. on December 25. The request is being made by Appalachian Power in coordination with PJM, the operator of the regional power grid.
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(WJHL) – The Tennessee Valley Authority has once again requested that local power companies take part in 15-20 minute rolling blackouts due to weather, according to a release.
A release from the Bristol Tennessee Essential Services states that TVA has made the request due to emergency conditions that have reduced the amount of power to electric power consumers.
“Once again at around 6:00 am this morning, we joined other local power companies to implement TVA’s request to conduct rolling power interruptions. As part of this process, we anticipate that groups of customers will experience approximately 15-20-minute power interruptions. This will help ensure that consumers have at least a periodic supply of electricity,” BTES Interim CEO Clayton Dowell said.
“This continues to be a rapidly evolving situation and, working with our partners, we remain committed to doing everything possible to keep the essential power grid stable and resilient,” said Dan Moul TVA’s COO.
BrightRidge along with other local companies will also be participating in the rolling blackouts saying that this means that five percent of customers will lose power for 15 minutes before having power restores that then moving the blackouts to the next five percent of customers.
BrightRidge says that this cycle will repeat for and take 5 hours to move through all customers or until TVA calls a halt to the practice referred to as “load shedding.”
BrightRidge says that load shedding will continue at least through the normal winter peak demand period ending around 9:30 or 10 a.m., in a release.
BTES If your power stays out for more than 30 to 45 minutes, you are urged to call the outage-reporting system at 423-968-2837.
The release states that the process will continue as long as necessary. The goal of the rolling blackouts are to prevent more widespread outages during what the National Weather Service has called a “once in a generation” storm.