KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Temperatures are rising across East Tennessee as summer starts, bringing weather that has already risen above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Tennessee Valley Authority said that as temperatures rise, so too does the demand for power across the region. People began turning on the air conditioning in their homes during the hot weather, leading to a peak power demand of 28,374 megawatts at 5 p.m. on Monday.
Around that time, average temperatures were around 91 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the TVA. They said it was the highest June peak since 2018, and the eighth-highest June peak since 2012.
They shared a post about the power demands on social media Tuesday, showing off people at work monitoring one of their nuclear plant's control rooms.
"Nuclear, hydro, natural gas, renewables, and coal work together to keep the lights on and those AC units humming," officials said in the post.