(April 20, 2011 - 1:30 a.m.) - MLGW workers are responding to the strong storm that hit Shelby County and other parts of the Mid-South earlier this evening. About 54,000 customers are currently without power. Outages have been reported across the county, with heavier damages reported in the Raleigh and Frayser areas, as well as along Sam Cooper.

Customers are reminded to report any downed power lines at MLGW's emergency hotline at 528-4465. Outages should be reported at 544-6500.

MLGW urges customers to be aware of their surroundings as they sift through debris and examine damage to their property. Customers should avoid contact with downed power lines; even if their home or area has experienced a loss of power the lines could still be energized and deadly.

Customers are also asked to avoid the immediate area where MLGW crews are working. These work sites can be extremely hazardous.

MLGW first addresses safety issues such as downed power lines, then moves to repair transmission lines and towers that provide power from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to MLGW substations. The early portion of the restoration process focuses on substations, circuits that represent larger groups of customers, and critical facilities such as water pumping stations, hospitals, and other essential facilities.

Important MLGW numbers for customers:

• Outage Reporting 544-6500

• Emergency 528-4465

• Customer Care Center 544-MLGW (6549)

MLGW is the largest three-service public power utility in the nation, serving more than 423,000 customers in Memphis and Shelby County.