HEAT WAVE: A deeper look at the demand relying on TVA

From Local 3 News: Many of us have been trying to stay cool during this latest heat wave.

Our area reached 99 degrees on Monday, and while the high temperature didn't break a record, it was still one of the hottest days of the year.

The dials on electric meters for millions of homes and businesses have been spinning like crazy since last week when this heat wave started.

The demand peaked Monday when the temperature reached 99 degrees around the Tennessee Valley.

"We're seeing a spike in demand, especially in the afternoons when people get home, the air conditioners are running, but we're ready to handle it," TVA Spokesperson Scott Fiedler said.

Tennessee Valley Authority reports the demand reached 33,000 megawatts on Monday, which is equivalent to powering 16 million homes at once.

For context, when the Tennessee Valley had a deep freeze in January 2025, the demand reached 35,000 megawatts.

With 90-degree temperatures expected to continue later this week, Fiedler said the best thing you can do to lower your power bill is to make sure your HVAC unit is running properly.

"So the best thing that you could do right now to start saving money today is to get your HVAC unit inspected and tuned up, because cooling your home is about 50% of your power bill. So, if you get it running efficiently, you'll start saving money immediately. And TVA offers a $50 rebate to help pay for that cost," he added.

Fiedler said TVA's system has handled the increased power demand very well and credits preparations they did in the Spring.

Crews performed more than 430 maintenance activities and 50 major heavy activities, like rebuilding equipment to get ready for this summer heat wave.

As the community continues to grow, so does TVA's infrastructure.

Right now, Fiedler said TVA has 3,700 megawatts under construction, and they plan to extend that to 6,200 in the future.

"Energy matters. We need more of it. TVA is building it. We have 3,700 megawatts under construction now. That's 2.1 million homes worth of power, but we can't stop. We have a plan to extend that out to 6,200 megawatts. So we see the demand growing. We know that we need more power, and we're there building it," he said.

TVA offers energy checkups for customers who want to better understand how energy is used in their homes. More information is available on energyright.com.