MADISON, Tenn. (WTVF) — Three days in a row triple-digit temperatures have put a strain on the electric grid.
If power companies didn't prepare for this, we could end up short on electricity.
Fortunately, at Nashville Electric Service, the utility plans for at least one day or stretch of extreme heat every year.
During this heatwave, a team of system operators monitors local energy usage in real-time. There are usually between two and five system operators running the utility's primary control room. It is a highly secure room. I had to pass three security checks before I entered.
With so many air conditioners running, the electric grid has to work extra hard to keep up.
"When you have high temperatures and your [home] temperature is set further away from what that high temperature is your air conditioner has to work harder," Brent Baker, VP and Chief Customer and Innovation Officer said.
Over time, NES learned to anticipate at least one day... or stretch of extreme heat every year.
If something were to get out of hand somewhere else in the Tennessee Valley Authority's region, NES could get a directive from TVA that customers need to conserve energy.
"That would be energy emergency alert that we would then send out requests for people to use energy differently or at a different time of day, or delay certain activities until the energy peak has gone down," Baker said.
In the last three years, the utility spent $200 million on reliability investments. Those are essentially upgrades meant to prevent interruptions on the customer's end.
As for customers, there are things people can do to help the electric system power through a heatwave. Such as using less hot water, using the microwave instead of the oven, closing your curtains and blinds during the day, washing clothes in cold water using a high-spring cycle, grilling, using a ceiling fan rather than an AC, and keeping the thermostat around 78 degrees.
Baker said these adjustments make a difference on your bill and help the system in the long run.
"Customers are choosing energy efficiency to save on their bills. It makes these peak times a little less than what they would've been," Baker said.
Forrest Sanders recently introduced us to a Nashville hero named Eudora Boxley. She was the first black woman to have a cooking show on TV in Nashville. Her grandson was precious describing Eudora and how she raised him and how proud he and the family were of her impact not only on WLAC but on a city during the turbulent Civil Rights Era. A woman who did extraordinary things at a time when history did not expect her to.
-Amy Watson
