
Tennessee Valley Authority personnel continue to make progress on repairing damage to TVA’s transmission system from weekend storms. The number of consumers without power has been reduced by 85% over Saturday’s peaks.
Since Saturday, TVA and local power company crews:
- Restored 14 of 21 impacted customer connection points – the interface between TVA’s transmission system and local power company distribution systems – in northwestern Tennessee and western Kentucky. Work continues on restoring the final seven connection points.
- Completed engineering to support repairs on 29 impacted transmission lines.
In the aftermath of the storms, nearly 250,000 consumers were without power in TVA’s service area. By noon Monday, the number had been reduced to just over 38,500.
More than 160 TVA line workers, additional contractor crews and TVA Aviation Services helicopter crews remain focused on repairing or replacing 97 transmission towers and poles and miles of transmission line to fully restore power in the impacted area. The storms were the most destructive to impact the region since the April 2011 tornado outbreak.
The region’s public power system is a partnership between TVA and local power companies. TVA’s transmission system delivers power to connection points with local power companies, whose own distribution systems supply power directly to homes and businesses. Both systems must be operational to safely provide reliable electricity.
Due to the extent of the damage in some areas, TVA is unable to provide any specific time for full restoration. The need to repair both TVA’s transmission system and local power company distribution systems may lead to longer restoration times.
The safety of TVA’s team members, emergency responders and the public remain the highest priority. Residents are reminded that any downed power line should always be considered energized and dangerous. Local power companies should be contacted to report downed lines. If a local power company cannot be reached, alert local law enforcement personnel or emergency responders.
Photo: One of numerous TVA towers that were toppled. TVA photo.