TVA makes investments to address population growth
As Tennessee’s population grows, the Tennessee Valley Authority is upgrading its systems to keep up with the demand
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - As Tennessee continues to grow, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is working to make sure its grid can keep up.
“The TVA region in the southeastern United States is growing at least three times the national average. Some areas are growing as much as five and six times the national average,” said TVA spokesperson, Scott Brooks.
A growth in population means more people who need to run air conditioner in the summer, crank up the heat in the winter, and keep the lights on all year. TVA is investing $2.8 billion in transmission system improvements to better manage electricity flow.
“Grid stability and reliability is absolutely the number one reason why we’re making these investments. We want to make sure that we can meet the demand even at the highest peak in the summer and the highest peak in the winter,” said Brooks.
After the rolling blackouts around Christmas 2022, the agency said it wants to prevent those from happening in the future, especially as more people move to the region.
Previous Coverage: TVA releases report detailing December 2022 blackouts
TVA and local power companies will hold public meetings and conduct studies to see how to best meet power demand.
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