(June 28, 2023, 10:30 a.m.) – MLGW and contract crews have safely restored power to 90,000 of the 120,000+ customers who lost power after Sunday night’s storms. The National Weather Service reports the heat and humidity will start to build today and become dangerous Thursday and Friday when heat index values are expected to top 110°. MLGW is urging customers without power to make plans now to stay safe. MLGW will also be prioritizing the safety of our crews as well.

As the restoration effort continues, work will slow as crews tackle more complex and smaller outages. One of the challenges of this storm is the number of trees and poles that were knocked down. Full restoration to all customers who can accept power is still expected to take several more days.

MLGW has 101 electric repair crews working. In addition, there are 28 troubleshooter crews, 79 tree cutting crews and 50 damage assessment crews.

MLGW is experiencing an intermittent issue with the outage hotline and techs are working to diagnosis it. Customers should continue to call to report their outage. Often as damage is repaired at the circuit or transformer level, our system will register as power restored. However, customers may have a localized damage, like a equipment down in their backyard. Also, 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 in the image below.

Important Notices/Reminders:

· Customers who currently receive SNAP can apply for replacement benefits at https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/for-families/tdhs-disaster-emergency-assistance.html.

· Please always call 528-4465 to report emergencies like downed power lines and gas leaks. MLGW asks customers to stay away from downed powerlines. DO NOT TOUCH or cut limbs across powerlines. They could be energized (hot).

· MLGW’s Customer Care Center is taking emergency calls only.

· MLGW customers can report power outages and check the status of their outage through My Account or by calling the automated outage number: 544-6500. Customers can also check the online outage map: mlgw.com/outagecenter.

· An emergency response dashboard is online at mlgw.com/stormresponse.

· Meal distribution on Wednesday, June 28 at 1 p.m. at Raleigh Library (3452 Austin Peay); Bert Ferguson Community Center (8505 Trinity Rd.); Frayser-Raliegh Senior Center (3985 Egypt Central); Cordova Community Center (1017 N. Sanga Rd.)

· Cooling Centers Open June 28-June 30, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Bartlett Baptist (3465 Kirby Whitten) and Faith Baptist Church (3755 N. Germantown Rd.). Some Memphis Public Libraries are staying open later to offer respite from the heat. Call 415-2700 or 211

 

There is a precautionary boil water advisory for parts of North Shelby County that is expected to be lifted today. There have been no reported issues with water quality. In the meantime, we recommend customers filter their water before boiling. MLGW water system and pressures have returned to normal operation. We expect to lift the boil water advisory after laboratory results are determined today. (See map for affected areas).

Memphis Light, Gas and Water is the largest three-service public power utility in the nation, serving the residents of Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee since 1939. MLGW consistently provides customers with rates that are amongst the lowest in the nation and stewards a water supply from artesian wells that is minimally treated. Actively engaged in promoting the prosperity of Memphis and Shelby County, MLGW supports the seven local chambers in its service area and makes doing business with local, minority- and women-owned business a priority. Deeply rooted in the community, its employees generously donate time and money in support of bettering the Greater Memphis area.