What Is "Voluntary Curtailment?"

UPDATED JUNE 22, 2022:

TVA is again asking for voluntary curtailment of electricity for business and residential customers. Please see the following message from TVA:

Summer heat is expected to continue across the region this week, driving up demand for the reliable energy TVA and local power companies supply.

On Monday, June 21, power demand peaked at 30,413 megawatts, the 8th highest June peak in TVA history.

So far this month, the early summer heat wave has led to five of the top ten June peak power demands, all safely supplied through our reliable and resilient public power system:

Monday, June 13 - 31,311 megawatts, the 2^nd highest June power demand in TVA’s history
Tuesday, June 14 – 30,072 megawatts, the 9^th highest power demand for June on record and the first time we’ve had back-to-back 30,000+ megawatts days in June since 2012.
Wednesday, June 15 – 30,784 megawatts, the 4^thhighest June power demand on record and tying a record of three consecutive 30,000+ megawatt days set in June 2012.
Thursday, June 16 – 31,617 megawatts, a new all-time record demand for the month of June and the first time we’ve experienced two 31,000+ megawatts days in June.
Monday, June 21 – 30,413 megawatts, the 8th highest June power demand on record

TVA builds margins into our system planning to help ensure the power grid remains stable and secure during high demand periods, even with the increased load and economic growth seen in the pandemic recovery.

High power demand – especially during peak hours of 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. local time – directly contributes to higher future power bills so, to help save money, we encourage consumers and businesses to join TVA and local power companies in cutting back usage during those hours.

There are some simple ways to help reduce power use without significantly impacting your comfort:

Turn your thermostat up just one degree and use fans to circulate air.
Close the window covering on the sunny side of your home or office.
If possible, avoid using ovens, dishwashers, clothes dryers and other appliances that generate heat in your home until later in the evening.

High temperatures are expected to continue throughout the summer, so TVA and local power company teams will remain focused on ensuring your electricity remains reliable during these extreme conditions.

UPDATED JUNE 16, 2022:

TVA has again initiated a voluntary curtailment request. Please see the following message from TVA:

"We continue to experience some of the hottest weather so far this season and more is forecast for next week, so the higher energy demands needed to keep people cool and safe will remain with us for some time.

The reliability and resiliency of the power system has consistently delivered for the 10 million people who count on us every day:

Monday, June 13 - 31,311 megawatts, the highest June power demand in TVA’s history
Tuesday, June 14 – 30,072 megawatts, the 8th highest power demand for June on record and the first time we’ve had back-to-back 30,000+ megawatts days in June since 2012.
Wednesday, June 15 – 30,784 megawatts, the 3rd highest June power demand on record and tying a record of three consecutive 30,000+ megawatt days set in June 2012.

There are some simple ways to help reduce power use without significantly impacting your comfort:

Turn your thermostat up just one degree and use fans to circulate air.
Close the window covering on the sunny side of your home or office.
If possible, avoid using ovens, dishwashers, clothes dryers and other appliances that generate heat in your home until later in the evening.

For the third consecutive day, TVA is asking for voluntary curtailment due to the high temperatures/heat indexes and the expected load demand throughout the TVA service area (from noon to 8pm).

We’ve noticed a bit of misunderstanding about what this means/doesn’t mean, so we want to explain it a bit more.

This voluntary energy reduction impacts every local power company that purchases electricity from TVA, not just Huntsville. The Tennessee Valley Authority supplies electricity to 153 local distributors across a seven state region with 25 located in Alabama. With the unexpected hot weather impacting so much of the southeast, this puts a strain on the entire electric grid operated by TVA.

Also, this request is not just for residential customers. Business, commercial, and industrial customers are also asked to voluntarily reduce their electric consumption.

It’s important to remember this request from TVA is VOLUNTARY. If you or others in your family have health issues, you should not make any changes that would put your health or well-being at risk.

This voluntary request to reduce electric consumption does not mean rolling blackouts are imminent. If enough customers voluntarily reduce their consumption, the TVA system will have enough power for everyone.

A reminder that nothing impacts your energy usage more than weather, especially the outside air temperature. The hotter it is outside, the more your air conditioner will work to keep your home cool. So reducing your consumption in other areas will help control your costs.

“Does this mean my bill will be higher?” No. Voluntary curtailment only means the TVA system is running at near maximum capacity, not including reserve capacity for emergencies. The only thing that impacts your bill is how much energy you are consuming.

We understand this is inconvenient and can be frustrating. We appreciate those of you who are cooperating with this request.