Letter from the President

I often say if MLGW isn’t making the news, that’s a good thing. Nonetheless, 2013 was a year that MLGW grabbed headlines. Despite the intense scrutiny, employees continued to perform and deliver exceptional service. I want to thank everyone for remaining focused and taking care of our customers.

One way MLGW delivered for customers was in the value we provided to Shelby County residents. Costs for most consumer goods typically increase year over year. In contrast, MLGW has maintained stable, low rates. To illustrate how low, the average utility bill was the same in 2013 as it was in 2008—five years ago. That’s impressive; especially considering the consumer price index (CPI) has increased every year in the last five. Additionally, upon conducting our annual rates survey, we discovered Memphis Light, Gas and Water has the lowest combined rates of any utility in the country.

Along with low rates, we were recognized for reliable service. For the fourth time in eight years, MLGW earned American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) for providing consumers with the highest degree of reliable and safe electric service.

2013 was also a year of firsts. We completed our first two comprehensive North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) audits, achieving high marks for our compliance program. We hosted our first minority vendor fair, affirming the Division’s commitment to minority- and women-owned businesses in March. In April, we televised the inaugural Plus-1 Push Telethon, raising more than $40,000 for the utility assistance program. Progressively, MLGW opened Shelby County’s premier public natural gas filling station in July, providing cheaper and more environmentally-friendly fueling choices for our area.

It was also a building year. The Memphis City Council approved the purchase of 60,000 smart meters, propelling MLGW into the “automation” age. Our liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility surpassed $3.5 million in revenues and future growth looks promising. Continuing our consumer energy conservation efforts, MLGW completed weatherizing 900 homes as part of a government/customer/supplier conservation partnership funded by a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) American Recovery and Reinvestment Grant.

Accolades poured in for employees’ charitable contributions: Volunteer Mid-South named MLGW Corporate Neighbor of the Year; The Association of Fundraising Professionals gave the Division its Crystal Award for the support we provide the United Way and Plus-1; and Operation Feed recognized MLGW as the number one donor for an organization of our size.

The coming year will be marked by changes in how we do business internally and externally. Chiefly, increased regulations, Project INSPIRE and automated metering will mean we’ll all have to make adjustments. Remain flexible, keep an open mind and our vision at the forefront: to be the best utility for our customers. Together, we can!

Wishing you the happiest of holidays,

Jerry R. Collins Jr.