As the coldest temperatures so far this winter settled into the region this week, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s reliable and resilient power generation system met the highest peak demand in the agency’s over 91-year history.

The Tennessee Valley Authority met record-breaking electricity demand during the coldest temperatures of the season.

The Tennessee Valley Authority said power demand reached 35,319 megawatts while the system temperature dropped to around 11 degrees.

The new record comes after TVA spent $430 million in fiscal year 2024, which ended Sept. 30, enhancing the reliability of its hydroelectric dams, coal and gas plants. At the John Sevier Combined Cycle Plant in Rogersville, the winter readiness changes include heated cables and insulation to keep pipes from freezing.

Here are three ways you can reduce power use as frigid temperatures drop even further overnight in Knoxville and East Tennessee.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) saw a high power demand Tuesday morning as temperatures dropped across the region. The TVA said they saw demand at approximately 32,040 megawatts. In 2024, TVA reported peak power demand reached a record of 34,562 megawatts.

More orders are expected Tuesday amid fallout from his first moves, including his issuing pardons for more than a thousand rioters convicted in connection with the violent Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and his effort to end birthright citizenship.