Extreme heat in forecast; TVA offers tips to help keep utility bills from climbing

HUNTSVILLE — The hottest weather of the summer has settled into the Tennessee Valley and the extreme heat is expected to linger through at least the middle of the week.

The National Weather Service Huntsville office is forecasting temperatures up to 100 degrees this week with a heat index of 115 degrees.

And with the rising temperatures, energy costs are rising as air-conditioners run to keep people cool.

With HVAC systems running, the Tennessee Valley Authority expects power demand to peak at around 33,000 megawatts from Monday-Wednesday. The highest demand last summer was just over 31,000 MW on Aug. 29.

TVA prepares year-round for extreme weather, and has set records while meeting the increased demand.

“We are ready to face the challenges that summer brings to the Valley,” Greg Henrich, TVA senior vice president of transmission, said. “We’ve been working together across the enterprise to ensure reliability and proper planning, taking every step possible to carefully forecast the demand needs and plan for the requirements of the TVA system.”

Allen Clare, senior vice president of generation, said his team has been carrying out robust hot-weather preparedness inspections and upgrades at TVA’s gas, hydro and coal plants.

“We don’t wait until temperatures start rising outside to ensure our units are ready for summer,” Clare said. “Our employees have been working for months to identify and execute close to 500 preventative maintenance activities on key equipment.”

For its customers, TVA offers these tips to help reduce power bills.

• In most homes, the HVAC system is the largest consumer of energy. Tips like being sure HVAC system filters are clean to allow it to operate more efficiently. Also, for each degree a thermostat is turned up it can save as much as 3% on a power bill.

• Turn ceiling fans on, circulating counterclockwise, to help cool a room. Be sure you turn it off when leaving the room or don’t need them because they operate on electricity, too.

• If you have a grill, consider cooking meals outside to prevent your stove and oven from heating your home.

• When possible, use clothes dryers and other large appliances during the nighttime hours, as it will allow your HVAC system a better opportunity to keep up. The dryer can also heat up a home and can force the system work harder to provide cooling.

More information on how to stay cool and save energy can be found at Smart Steps in a Heat Wave