LAFOLLETTE,TN (WLAF) – The largest demand for electric power in the history of the La Follette Utilities Board (LUB) was Friday at 140 megawatts. “We’re working diligently again today to meet the demand and getting cooperation from our largest customers in order to keep from reducing service to the residential sector of our service area,” said LUB General Manager Kenny Baird.

Gold Creek Foods, LUB’s largest customer, along with the Campbell County Board of Education and other businesses and entities that are not in operation today are off line this morning in order to allow LUB to continue providing power to residential areas. “These folks helped us immensely on Friday and are again today, and I thank them for their cooperation. This is a system wide emergency situation at TVA and for only the second time in its 90 year history has it gone to Step 50 of its Emergency Load Curtailment Plan,” said Baird.  “Yesterday was the first time.”

The areas of Windsor Pointe and Sudenny have been without electricity since last night. “We’re working to have these customers back in service later this morning, if at all possible” said Baird. “There are a few other outages across the service territory.  Total outages as of this morning sit at 158.  Crews are here and ready to restore service as soon as possible.”

“I thank our residential customers for responding to our request on Friday to reduce the electric load in their homes by cutting thermostats a few degrees, postponing washing and drying clothes, and cutting off any unneeded lights. The same cooperation is needed again this morning,” said Baird.

Baird feels confident that with the reductions this morning and a little bit of a warm up today that LUB and the entire TVA system will get much needed relief. He sets noon today for the time he feels LUB, other local power companies (LPC’s) and TVA can begin to return to a sense of normalcy in their daily operations. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 12/24/2022-7:30AM)

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