Electric System Shines Under Increased Demand

February 02, 2026

The City of Tallahassee's Electric Utility continues to meet the demand for increased electric usage as customers stay safe and warm amid history-making freezing temperatures that brought snow flurries to parts of town over the weekend. Based on the forecast for sustained low temps over the last two days, utility experts noted the potential for surpassing the 2010 peak load record of 633 megawatts (MW).

"During this prolonged period of frigid winter weather, our electric system has seen multiple days of historically high demand, marking two of our top 10 peak loads of all time," said Tony Guillen, General Manager of the City's Electric and Gas Utility. "Even faced with the coldest temperatures we've experienced in recent history, our power plants and grid infrastructure are preforming reliably and as designed."

Top 10 Peak Loads:

• Jan. 11, 2010, at 8 a.m. - 633.00MW
• Aug. 22, 2007, at 4 p.m. - 621.00MW
• Jan. 23, 2025, at 9 a.m. - 620.23MW
• March 30, 2021, at 3 p.m. - 619.28MW
• Feb. 1, 2026, at 9 a.m. - 617.46MW
• Jan. 18, 2018, at 8 a.m. - 617.32MW
• Feb. 2, 2026, at 8 a.m. - 605.05MW
• June 23, 2022, at 5 p.m. - 604.37MW
• Aug. 23, 2023, at 4 p.m. - 590.37MW
• Aug. 14, 2019, at 5 p.m. - 584.60MW

The City's power plants use state-of-the-art generating units that employ the most efficient technology in the industry and are designed to meet high loads, like the current peak demands.

This January was one of the coldest in decades in Tallahassee, with multiple rounds of freezing weather. Roughly one-third of January nights saw temperatures fall below 32°F in the area, according to the National Weather Service. Prolonged cold increases the amount of energy used to heat homes, which will result in higher-than-normal utility bills.

To help ease the financial burden increased utility usage may bring to some customers, the City of Tallahassee launched the Weather Relief Assistance Program (WRAP). Through the program, eligible residential electric, water or natural gas customers may spread the balance of either their January or February bill evenly over the next four utility bills. Get program details at Talgov.com/WRAP.

Heating and cooling systems (HVAC) are typically the largest energy draws for a home and can account for roughly half of the annual energy consumption. While temperatures are forecast to increase slightly this week, customers are encouraged to remain mindful of energy use during peak hours, which are generally in the early morning during winter (6-9 a.m.).

The City offers a variety of grants, loans and rebates to help customers enhance energy conservation and efficiency and lower utility bills. For more information or to schedule a free energy audit, City Utility customers may contact customer service at 850-891-4968 or visit Talgov.com/YOU.