Due to the record heat, the Tennessee Valley Authority and its 153 affiliated local power companies successfully met another record June power demand on Thursday, breaking the previous record set earlier this week.

At 6 p.m. ET, the power system reliably provided 31,617 megawatts of energy at a region-wide average temperature of 97 degrees.  This breaks the previous record set on Monday, June 13.  Over the past four days, TVA’s diverse generation assets and resilient transmission system have met three of the top four highest June power demands on record.

Until this week, the previous record for a power demand in June was 31,098 megawatts, set on June 29, 2012.

Continued hot and humid weather could produce similar high-power demands through the end of this week and is forecast to occur again next week. TVA and local power companies are encouraging users to join them in conserving power and saving money, especially during the peak use hours of 2 p.m. through 6 p.m., by taking a few simple steps:

• Turn up your thermostat – even one or two degrees makes a big difference in your power bill, four to seven percent, and does not significantly impact your comfort.

• Use ceiling and portable fans to circulate air – they use less energy than your air conditioner.

• If possible, avoid using ovens, clothes dryers, dishwashers and other large appliances during peak hours.

• Close window coverings on the sunny side of your home or business.

• Seal up leaks. Eliminating any leaks or gaps around doors, windows and ductwork will help your cooling system operate more efficiently.

Additional energy saving tips can be found at www.energyright.com/residential. Residents concerned about their ability to pay future power bills are encouraged to contact their local power company to discuss the availability of assistance programs, including the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP.

The TVA provides electricity to 10 million individuals and 700,000 businesses in Kentucky and six other states.