NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — With increased pressure on Tennessee’s power grid due to the extreme cold snap, the Nashville Electric Service (NES) says there won’t be rolling blackouts amid these freezing temperatures.
Both NES and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) have asked people to preserve power for the next few days. The TVA specifically called for a voluntary reduction in power usage between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Thursday and Friday.
“It will be the coldest time in the area, so all of our heaters will be running more,” NES vice president Brent Baker said. “It’s also the time when people are waking up and starting to use more energy as they get started for the day and businesses start up.”
NES recommended keeping the thermostat below 70 degrees Fahrenheit to save both energy and money on your utility bill. That wasn’t Baker’s only tip, though.
“Don’t use large appliances like dryers, washers or your oven,” Baker said. ‘Use smaller appliances like a microwave or a toaster oven or something like that that would help you get through if you need to use an appliance like that.”
Power companies aren’t the only agencies acutely aware of the weather — first responders like Jeff Hardy, director of Maury County Emergency Management, said weather events like these are always rolls of the dice.
“If we had to tell anybody anything, we would tell them three things: the three Ps,” Hardy said. “Check on your people, check on your pets and check on your pipes.”
The National Weather Service says Tennessee Severe Weather Awareness Week is Feb. 16 through Feb. 22, 2025. Baker stressed the importance of being prepared all year long.
“Having a backup battery for your cell phone. Make sure your battery is charged for things like your laptop. Then, having [a] flashlight and other equipment to be able to get through is always a really helpful thing.”
Don’t forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app.
