Tennessee Residents Endure Blackouts and Are Warned to Save Power

Tennesseans were experiencing more than just cold weather on Friday. They were also finding it a challenge to keep the lights on.

In the morning, the Tennessee Valley Authority, which generates power for all of Tennessee and parts of several neighboring states, asked customers to reduce their power use “as much as possible without reducing safety.” There were localized brownouts — sharp drops in voltage — and “brief, intermittent power outages,” the authority said.

Nashville, where temperatures were below 0 degrees shortly after sunrise, was enduring rolling 10-minute power outages every few hours for several hours on Friday. At 1 p.m., 55,000 Nashville customers lacked power.

Nashville Electric Service asked the city’s residents to delay using their washing machines, dryers and dishwashers, to keep their thermostats no higher than 68 degrees and to turn to warm sweaters, socks and blankets. It also advised that they pull back curtains to put the sun’s warmth to use.