TENNESSEE VALLEY-The coldest temperatures we’ve seen since last January will be arriving soon. I’d also like to share how TVA has prepared to meet demand and tips for people to help lower energy bills.
Long-Term Projects
In FY 2024, TVA invested $430 million to harden its system and enhance the reliability and resilience of its gas, hydro and coal generating fleet.
The results were excellent, Flake said. TVA’s system met record-high demand peaks during the prolonged deep freeze of Winter Storm Heather in January 2024.
But Flake and his colleagues aren’t resting on their laurels.
They’ve completed 417 preventive maintenance work orders to prepare for this winter.
At the same time, they’re investing in long-term projects to further harden TVA’s system:
- Proactively scheduling replacement of aging heat trace lines and insulation in the coming years.
- Developing a system of smart panels to monitor freeze protection systems in real time, so plant operators in the control room have early warning of potential problems.
- Replacing temporary shelters that protect cold-sensitive equipment with solid-wall enclosures.
- Refining and practicing plant-by-plant cold weather plans.
- Identifying additional high-priority cold-weather upgrades, such as modernizing control air dryers that keep water out of hoses, valves and other critical components.
As TVA’s program manager for seasonal readiness, Flake loves getting reports like Shenal’s. If there’s anything that can be done – even a seemingly tiny detail – to better prepare the plant for extreme cold weather, Flake wants to know about it.
It’s all about making sure TVA’s megawatts are reliable and resilient when temperatures plunge and demand spikes.
The best way to continue meeting customer demand? Keep the megawatts online.
“And that’s our mission,” Flake said.
For Lowering Energy Bills
TVA EnergyRight offers these programs:
- Homeowners can earn rebates for home energy upgrades (a list with dollar amounts is in that link.)
- Home energy evaluations. Learn more here about how to get one.
- Businesses can receive financial incentives for qualifying equipment purchases.
Media Release/TVA