HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – No power outages were reported in Christian County this morning as the power grid worked overtime to keep up with the energy demand brought on by freezing conditions. Local energy supplier Hopkinsville Electric System purchases all of their power from the Tennessee Valley Authority, who set an all-time record for electricity usage in the region on Wednesday.
“This morning, we delivered the most electricity ever used in our 90-plus-year history with a preliminary peak of 35,319 megawatts,” said a statement from the TVA. “Where did all that energy come from? A diverse mix of generation sources, a dedicated team, a strong partnership with your local power company, and you!”
As the temperatures continued to drop overnight, heaters worked harder and longer to maintain livable temperatures in homes. Before today, the previous megawatts record was set almost exactly a year ago on Jan. 17, 2024. They experienced an all-time peak in demand of 34,577 MW due to the extreme temperatures and the power grid strained to keep up with the demand.
Last year, the strain resulted in asking customers across the region to significantly decrease energy usage. This year, the TVA and the local Hopkinsville Electric System preemptively suggested people conserve power to prevent an overload that would lead to power outages. Eric Grau, TVA general manager for gas operations previously said, “Over the last year, TVA has made significant investments, both financially and from a time standpoint with our folks at our sites to be sure our winter readiness program has been executed.”
Tuesday night, temperatures dropped to the single digit and negative degrees for an extended period of time. For the remainder of the week, people can expect highs in the 30s and 40s, with less extreme overnight temperatures in the teens.
DOWNLOAD THE APP: Sign up for our free Christian County Now app