For the third consecutive year, Memphis Light, Gas and Water is offering a hot weather-related reconnection program for residential customers who are currently without electric, gas and/or water services due to non-payment or failure to complete MLGW's required identification procedures.

These residential customers—no matter how much they owe—can pay $250 plus the appropriate reconnection fee to re-establish service but are required to enter into a deferred payment plan (not to exceed five months) for the remaining balances. MLGW would restore service for a minimum of 15 days.

MLGW’s reconnection program begins today and will be available throughout the current heat wave. The program only applies to residential customers who have lost one or more services due to non-payment or failure to complete MLGW’s required identification process. For safety reasons, an address where services have been off for more than a year must pass inspection by Shelby County Code Enforcement prior to reconnection.

“The summer heat in Shelby County can be life-threatening,” said MLGW President and CEO Jerry Collins Jr. “This is an effort to help bring some relief to those customers who are currently without power.”

To participate, eligible residential customers must bring identification and pay $250 plus the reconnection fee at one of MLGW’s five community centers: 245 South Main Street, 2935 Lamar Avenue, 1111 East Shelby Drive, 2424 Summer Avenue or, in Millington, 5131 Navy Road. To help accommodate these customers, MLGW’s community offices are open Monday through Thursday, from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., and on Friday from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. (with the exception of the Millington community office, which is open from 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday).

MLGW’s reconnection program would require customers to complete a Hazardous Weather Agreement; to enter into a deferred payment plan (not to exceed five months) for the remaining past-due balance owed to MLGW; and to pay his or her first bill, following this reconnection, in full by the due date printed on the bill. If that first bill is not fully and timely paid, then the customer is subject to immediate disconnection without further notice.

Last summer, 1562 customers took advantage of the reconnection program.
 
MLGW is the largest three-service public power utility in the nation, serving more than 421,000 customers in Memphis and Shelby County.