PDF: TVA 2007 all-time power peaks PDF: TVA winter peak PDF: TVA summer 2010 peak
With the heat index expected to reach into the triple digits again today, air quality specialists are warning Chattanoogans with breathing problems to stay indoors to avoid the sizzling heat and high ozone levels.
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau on Tuesday issued a Code Orange Health Watch for today because air quality in the region is expected to be in the unhealthy range for up to half of the population, including children, the elderly and people with respiratory illnesses.
WRCB-TV Chief Meteorologist Paul Barys said Chattanooga’s temperature is expected to reach 98 degrees today, and the heat index that includes the temperature and humidity will make it feel around 104 degrees to 106 degrees.
“There’s a huge high-pressure system like a ridge that is hardly moving, so we’re just sort of baking in the heat,” Barys said. “This is fairly typical for this time of year, but this seems to be lasting longer than normal.”
Chattanoogans should get some break in the heat by next week, Barys said.
Despite above-average temperatures this summer, the city’s air quality has exceeded acceptable federal limits only three times so far this year, records show. Amber McCorvie, a spokeswoman for the local Air Pollution Control Bureau, said Chattanooga reached the unhealthy level on April 13, May 6 and again Aug. 4.
“That is fewer than most years to this point, although August and September are often are worst months,” she said. “Nonetheless, we are encouraged that the steps we’ve taken to limit burning, conducting vehicle emission tests and other pollution improvements have obviously helped to improve our air quality.”
Last Wednesday, the high temperatures across the Tennessee Valley averaged 100 degrees, pushing electricity consumption from TVA to 31,777 megawatts – the highest level since 2007.
TVA expects to reach a peak of 31,400 megawatts today when temperatures average 98 degrees in the five major cities in the agency’s region.
The hot weather heated up the Tennessee River in Alabama to within one degree of its 90-degree allowable maximum for power plant operation by TVA. As a result, TVA spokesman Jason Huffine said the utility was running all three of its Browns Ferry reactors at only half power on Tuesday, costing it more than $1 million a day in lost power but limiting the amount of cooling water used at the plant.
Online: See TVA’s record-setting dates for power consumption.