MEMPHIS
42°
Friday
Clear Sky
Extensive damage hindering restoration efforts
February 11, 2022
99% of customers impacted by Winter Storm Landon have been restored
(February 12, 2022 – 4 p.m.) MLGW and contract crews continue to work around the clock to restore customers who remain without power following the third worst storm in recent Memphis history. A map of where crews are working is available here: mlgw.com/home/ice-storm-update-dashboard-2022/. Crews are encountering extensive equipment damage which is causing delays in restoration efforts. Additional, unrelated outages have occurred since the storm as well. “It’s understandable that customers impacted are upset and frustrated,” said MLGW President and CEO. “This is our community—our neighbors, family and friends—who have been without power for more than a week. We’ve been able to restore 99% of customers who can take power and we will keep working as quickly and safely as possible to get the power back on for everyone.”
Disconnections due to nonpayment have been suspended.
To make sure MLGW is aware of an outage, customers are asked to call 544-6500 to report it, even if they’ve reported it before. If a customer is off due to an “outage within an outage,” meaning a circuit may have been repaired but more localized damage is causing a problem, the utility may not be aware.
As a reminder, downed powerlines and wires should always be treated and assumed to be live. Stay away from them, and do not let others near them. Report downed lines to MLGW’s emergency hotline at 528-4465.
Important MLGW contact information for customers:
• Electric Outage Reporting: 544-6500
• Emergencies: 528-4465 (for electrical lines down, gas leaks, broken water mains inside a building)
• Online Outage Center: mlgw.com/home/outagecenter
Generator Safety Tips
- Never use a generator indoors or in an enclosed area such as a garage. Generators emit toxic carbon monoxide from the engine exhaust.
- A generator should only be operated in a well-ventilated and dry area, away from air intakes to the home. It should be protected from direct exposure to rain and snow, preferably under a canopy, open shed or carport.
- Do not attempt to restore power to your entire house by plugging the generator into a wall outlet. The electricity produced by a generator cannot only ruin your home's wiring and start a fire, it can also feed back into the utility system and energize a line thought to be without power possibly killing utility workers trying to restore power. It can also cause damage to the generator when electric service is restored.
- Handle fuel carefully. Turn the generator off prior to refueling. Gasoline, kerosene and other flammable liquids should be stored outside of living areas in properly labeled safety containers.
- Turn off or disconnect all appliances prior to operating a portable generator. Once the generator is running, appliances powered by the generator can be turned on one at a time.
- MLGW will not come out to check the generator connections. You must use an electrical contractor to ensure that generator is isolated from the grid to eliminate backfeed.
MLGW is the largest three-service public power utility in the nation, serving more than 437,000 customers in Memphis and Shelby County.
Memphis, TN 38103