Power outages in Middle Tennessee continue to grow as temperatures dip below zero

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), in a tweet, shared guidelines to ensure the power grid remains stable as power outage continues. They have asked businesses and the public to help reduce electric power usage without sacrificing safety.

TVA and local power companies are also taking steps to temporarily reduce power supplies to certain local areas which may create intermittent power outages in homes and businesses. The authority is actively working with local power companies to minimize the duration of outages. In the tweet they also mentioned these are necessary precautions to prevent far greater power interruptions which might affect the entire area.

Until the power has stabilized intermittent power outages for about 10 minutes every 90 minutes to 2 hours can be expected, said NES.


Jack Baxter, vice president NES operations said TVA’s power generation system is being challenged by the swift-moving cold front that moved into the area overnight. The duration of these dangerously low temperatures also plays a part in system performance. He further added that their ability to proactively manage the grid during this time will help them continue to provide safe and reliable power to Middle Tennessee.



NES also reported on Friday morning that four of their utility poles were damaged or broken because of Thursday night’s freezing precipitation and high winds. The extreme cold conditions damaged other equipment as well. Early Friday morning, 1,600 customers were without power, but by 10 a.m. the number jumped to 24,000. The authorities advised those who have no access to a generator to dress in layers and bundle in blankets to preserve their body heat. And those who are using a generator need to only run it in a well-ventilated area outside the home, away from all windows or doors to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

People experiencing any of the following symptoms need to call 911
• exhaustion
• uncontrollable shivering
• confusion
• memory loss
• slurred speech
These are all symptoms of hypothermia and you will need immediate medical attention.

FAQs:

1. What is the reason behind these power outages?
   According to NES, on Friday morning Four of their utility poles were damaged or broken because of Thursday night’s freezing precipitation and high winds.Freezing temperature has also caused damage to other equipment as well.
2. How long will the power outages last?
   The blackouts appear to last between 10-30 minutes, depending on your provider