June 27, 2025 - Aiming to avoid overwhelming the Tennessee Valley Authority’s power grid, western Kentucky power companies are asking the public to conserve energy as much as possible during this week’s heat wave.

TVA supplies electricity to every utility company in this part of the country, including Calloway County’s energy providers, Murray Electric System and West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation.

“Due to extremely high temperatures throughout the TVA service area and the subsequent high demand for electricity in the region, TVA is asking all customers, including WKRECC members, to voluntarily reduce electricity usage until temperatures moderate,” WKRECC said in a Facebook post Tuesday. “This means adjusting your thermostat to conserve energy, delaying the use of large appliances such as washers, dryers, and dishwashers until later in the day, and turning off nonessential lighting and electronics. We greatly appreciate your help with this matter, and as always, we will provide updates as we receive them.”

“Extremely hot temperatures across the area are placing additional demands on the power system, and Murray Electric System team members are working hard to ensure you remain safe and cool,” MES said in its own news release. “Until the temperature moderates, residents are being asked to help ensure continued reliability for the area’s power distribution system by taking a few simple actions.”

Like WKRECC, MES encouraged customers to avoid using large appliances during peak demand periods, which it said are typically between 1-10 p.m. MES also asked people to turn off any non-essential electric devices, and said raising your thermostat just a degree or two makes a big difference in energy usage and cost savings. 

“For every degree above 72 degrees, the savings could be as much as three percent of your future power bills,” MES said. “Murray Electric System is taking its own advice and has raised the thermostats in its own facilities.”

Additional energy saving tips for keeping your house comfortable and lowering power bills all year long can be found at https://energyright.com, MES said. MES also urged people not to forget to check on relatives, friends and neighbors to ensure their safety. “Pets and livestock will also need a helping hand to remain safe,” the company added.