With what could become record cold weather on the way, Murray State University plans to avert potential power outages with its generator system.
The Tennessee Valley Authority is asking its consumers to conserve power starting tonight as it expects peak demand over the next few days. Although the agency’s bulk electric system remains stable, the power demand is expected to reach 33,000 megawatts as temperatures drop below zero tonight.
The biggest peak demand will likely occur Thursday morning with electric loads reaching nearly 33,000 megawatts. In comparison, demand was 32,751 megawatts during the height of the cold wave on Jan. 7, 2015.
MSU’s interruptible service contract with the TVA could require the campus to power down to reduce load on the utility’s power grid. Last year MSU’s generator failed and the resulting cold caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
MSU President Bob Davies says there’s a low to moderate risk of switching as temperatures drop tonight but that crews are prepared to use a massive generator to power student-occupied buildings if a shutdown is required.
MSU’s contract includes what’s called the Five Minute Response; if the TVA gives the word, the university must cut all regular power and switch to its own generator system. Those units have been recently tested and cover all the residential halls along with other essential facilities.
