CNN
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The NFL’s Tennessee Titans delayed its scheduled midday CT recreation by an hour because of rolling blackouts within the area, which have since ended, stemming from the winter storm and brutal chilly.
“Because of the excessive climate and energy outages affecting our area, kickoff for at present’s recreation has been postponed one hour to 1 p.m. CT,” the Titans stated in an announcement.
“This determination was made in partnership with the NFL, Workplace of Emergency Administration, Nashville Electrical Service and the Mayor’s Workplace in an abundance of warning to make sure that the sport wouldn’t negatively impression our neighborhood in any manner. We’re exploring each chance to attenuate non-essential energy across the stadium.”
The Titans (7-7), losers of 4 straight video games, started their recreation towards the Houston Texans (1-12-1) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville at 1 p.m. CT. The temperature was 22 levels at kickoff, making it the coldest recreation in Nissan Stadium historical past, in line with the CBS broadcast.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, the federally owned electrical utility firm that powers seven states within the area, had directed native energy corporations to scale back their energy load for durations on Friday and Saturday because of weather-related record-high demand and energy technology points.
Chief Operating Officer Don Moul said the agency “misplaced some technology” as a result of excessive chilly and excessive winds, and the authority urged residents to preserve energy. Nonetheless, the TVA stated Saturday it provided extra energy up to now 24 hours than at another time in its historical past.
The authority ended the rolling blackouts noon Saturday after temperatures rose barely and the ability system’s circumstances improved, the TVA stated.
“We acknowledge that these deliberate non permanent disruptions are a problem, nevertheless it was wanted to take care of grid stability for 10 million individuals throughout seven states,” the authority stated. “Thanks for doing all of your half, conserving power, and serving to us handle this excessive climate occasion.”
On Saturday morning, native energy corporations stated that they had been directed to interrupt energy for brief spurts. CDE Lightband, an influence firm out of Clarksville, Tennessee, said the TVA told it to interrupt energy in 15-minute intervals.
Equally, the Nashville Electric Service advised clients Saturday morning to count on “rotating, intermittent energy outages” in about 10-minute increments each one-and-a-half to 2 hours.
Amid the blackouts, Nashville Mayor John Cooper had urged the Titans to postpone their game, saying that “all non-essential companies ought to scale back energy utilization.” He issued a follow-up tweet saying he appreciated the choice to delay the sport an hour.
Generally, extended chilly snaps can overwhelm the ability grid by concurrently knocking out energy provide and inflicting a pointy enhance in demand as residents flip up the warmth. For instance, in Texas in February 2021, a winter storm and prolonged chilly interval brought on mass outages in areas served by the Electrical Reliability Council of Texas, leaving thousands and thousands of residents within the chilly and darkish for practically per week.
The TVA knowledgeable residents on Friday there could be rolling blackouts as a result of winter storm, although that directive was later rescinded.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland advised CNN on Friday hospitals and medical places of work had been exempt. The TVA didn’t anticipate the extent of the state of affairs previous to the storm, he stated.
“It is a actual battle. This has by no means occurred in my lifetime, this hasn’t occurred in Memphis in a minimum of 50 years,” Strickland stated Friday.
On Saturday morning, he stated the rolling blackouts throughout Memphis impacted greater than 50,000 individuals for about 30 to 60 minutes at a time, doubtless two to 3 instances per day.
“TVA has all the time prided itself on reliability. That is the primary time TVA has required rolling blackouts,” Strickland advised CNN. “It’s going to take a deeper dive into the explanations this occurred.”
Strickland stated that temperatures should not anticipated to rise above 32 levels Fahrenheit for a minimum of the following two days.
The outages and rolling blackouts have affected a lot of the US, notably the Southeast.
As of 11 a.m. ET Saturday, Tennessee has about 250,000 clients with out energy, and North Carolina has over 380,000 clients with out energy, in line with the web site PowerOutage.US. In Davidson County, Tennessee, which incorporates Nashville, greater than 60% of consumers had been with out energy, the positioning says.
Duke Vitality, the electrical energy firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday morning introduced “emergency outages” as extraordinarily chilly temperature drive unusually excessive power demand throughout the Carolinas.
“Now we have begun quick, non permanent energy outages. These emergency outages are needed to guard the power grid towards longer, extra widespread outages. We respect your endurance,” the energy provider said in a tweet.