The Tennessee Valley Authority set a new all-time record for the highest peak in energy demand Wednesday morning, as frigid temperatures lingered over the region.
According to a news release, Wednesday’s preliminary all-time record peak of 35,319 megawatts came in at 8 a.m. when there was a system temperature of 11 degrees, and officials were proud to say that the TVA’s power system remained stable throughout the event.
TVA Senior Vice President Greg Henrich says it just shows that the $430 million that was invested into hardening the TVA’s systems against extreme cold weather events was worth it. He continues, “It’s a testament to employees at TVA and local power companies who work around the clock in the elements to provide power and make sure 10 million people are safe and warm. We also appreciate all of our partners in the Tennessee Valley — residents and businesses — who heeded TVA’s call to conserve power during the peak morning hours on Wednesday. Working together, we were able to make history.”
The TVA plans to build additional generation and system infrastructure to continue meeting that growing demand for power, with the plan to invest another $16 billion.
The previous peak was set in January of 2024 at 34,577 megawatts.