MEMPHIS
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Friday
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MLGW Restoration Update: 9 a.m. April 21
April 21, 2011
(April 21, 2011 - 9:00 a.m.) - As of 8:30 a.m., MLGW crews have restored power to more than 43,000 of the 64,000 customers affected by Tuesday's storm. MLGW crews made good progress overnight, despite a new round of inclement weather that brought lightning, wind and additional outages.
The areas with the heaviest damage include Raleigh, Frayser, Arlington, Lakeland, and along the Sam Cooper corridor. The type of damage includes downed trees, limbs, power lines and poles/cross-arms. The areas with the heaviest damage will take the longest to restore.
Bolstered by 26 out of town crews, MLGW has a contingent of 136 crews focusing on the remaining outages today.
MLGW is still asking customers who are still without power to call the MLGW Outage Hotline at 544-6500 to make sure their outage is logged in the system. To report an outage, customers will need to have their account number or the phone number that's associated with their account.
To report an emergency such as downed wires or gas leaks, please call 528-4465. This number should be treated like 911 and only used for these types of emergencies.
Customers still without power are asked to leave their back gates accessible for MLGW employees if their electric lines are in the back yard.
Weatherheads
Some customers may have damage to their weatherheads. The weatherhead is usually located above the roofline or attached to the gable or side of the house where the customer's wiring connects to MLGW's electric lines. The weatherhead is the homeowner's property and therefore is not maintained by MLGW. If it is damaged, a customer must have it repaired by a licensed electrician and inspected by Code Enforcement before MLGW can restore your power. An example of a weatherhead can be found here: http://mlgw.com/images/weather_head.jpg
New MLGW IPhone App Allows Customers to Check Outage Status
A total of 741 MLGW customers downloaded MLGW's new iPhone app yesterday (the first day of its release). The app is available for free download in the Apple iTunes app store at www.apple.com or through iPhone, iPod, or iPad devices. One of the app's most useful features is the ability for customers to be able to check the status of an outage at their address. Customers will need the phone number associated with their MLGW account and the last four numbers of their social security number or their 16-digit account number. Other features:
Payment arrangements
Important numbers
Payment locations
Bill due date and amount
Energy tips
MLGW plans to develop Android and Blackberry apps in the future.
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.
Do not attempt to restore power to your entire house by plugging the generator into a wall outlet. The electricity produced by a generator can ruin your home's wiring and start a fire, and 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.
Important MLGW contact information for customers:
Outage Reporting: 544-6500
Emergency: 528-4465
Customer Care Center: 544-MLGW (6549)
www.twitter.com/mlgw
www.facebook.com/mlgw1
MLGW is the largest three-service public power utility in the nation, serving more than 423,000 customers in Memphis and Shelby County.
The areas with the heaviest damage include Raleigh, Frayser, Arlington, Lakeland, and along the Sam Cooper corridor. The type of damage includes downed trees, limbs, power lines and poles/cross-arms. The areas with the heaviest damage will take the longest to restore.
Bolstered by 26 out of town crews, MLGW has a contingent of 136 crews focusing on the remaining outages today.
MLGW is still asking customers who are still without power to call the MLGW Outage Hotline at 544-6500 to make sure their outage is logged in the system. To report an outage, customers will need to have their account number or the phone number that's associated with their account.
To report an emergency such as downed wires or gas leaks, please call 528-4465. This number should be treated like 911 and only used for these types of emergencies.
Customers still without power are asked to leave their back gates accessible for MLGW employees if their electric lines are in the back yard.
Weatherheads
Some customers may have damage to their weatherheads. The weatherhead is usually located above the roofline or attached to the gable or side of the house where the customer's wiring connects to MLGW's electric lines. The weatherhead is the homeowner's property and therefore is not maintained by MLGW. If it is damaged, a customer must have it repaired by a licensed electrician and inspected by Code Enforcement before MLGW can restore your power. An example of a weatherhead can be found here: http://mlgw.com/images/weather_head.jpg
New MLGW IPhone App Allows Customers to Check Outage Status
A total of 741 MLGW customers downloaded MLGW's new iPhone app yesterday (the first day of its release). The app is available for free download in the Apple iTunes app store at www.apple.com or through iPhone, iPod, or iPad devices. One of the app's most useful features is the ability for customers to be able to check the status of an outage at their address. Customers will need the phone number associated with their MLGW account and the last four numbers of their social security number or their 16-digit account number. Other features:
MLGW plans to develop Android and Blackberry apps in the future.
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.
Do not attempt to restore power to your entire house by plugging the generator into a wall outlet. The electricity produced by a generator can ruin your home's wiring and start a fire, and 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.
Important MLGW contact information for customers:
MLGW is the largest three-service public power utility in the nation, serving more than 423,000 customers in Memphis and Shelby County.
Memphis, TN 38103