Smart Talk: Connecting new service will be less hassle with smart meters

Smart Talk: Connecting new service will be less hassle with smart meters

The process for connection and reconnection of service will get a lot simpler for customers with the full deployment of smart meters. Starting or stopping service will be almost as fast as flipping on a switch.

That’s in stark contrast to the time it takes today. Currently, customers have to make an appointment and wait for a technician to arrive to manually turn services on or off. Appointments are available in two-hour increments. With smart meters, customers wouldn’t have to take two hours off of work or wait two hours for a technician; MLGW could remotely turn services on or off. All it would take is for the customer to make a phone call from their residence to MLGW's Call Center to be connected.

Offering this type of service enhancement far exceeds what most cable companies or Internet providers can deliver, and it’s an option customers deserve. Improving connection and reconnection service times is just one of the many reasons why MLGW is looking forward to installing smart meters. 

Smart Talk: Smart Meter Installation

1 – 2 – 3 How Electric Meters are Installed

Customers frequently have questions about smart meter installation, wondering if they need to be home. They also wonder what's the big difference between a digital meter and a smart one. Any time a new meter is installed at a home, MLGW workers snap a photo with their cell phones (photo 1) of the old electric meters they are replacing. They pull out the old meter (photo 2) and snap a second photo of the new smart meter once it is in place. (photo 3) It's simple, and in most cases a customer doesn't have to be at their residence.

The process takes a matter of minutes unless a worker discovers there is a problem with the electric socket that the meter plugs into. While the meter is MLGW’s property, the homeowner is responsible for having working electrical socket. When lights in a home flicker or fade, it is often the result of the home’s electric socket. The socket is similar to an electrical wall socket in a home. Just like wall sockets sometimes go bad and stop working, so do outdoor electric sockets at homes. MLGW has committed to repairing any socket problems discovered during installation.

Digital and Smart Meter Differences

Looking at a side-by-side comparison of a digital and a smart meter, they look pretty similar. However, the capabilities between the two are worlds apart. Basically, the digital readings of a meter don’t make it “smart.” What makes a smart meter “smart” is the computer-chip-like communications device that is about the size of a half-dollar.

Digital meters still require a meter reader to physically read the meter on site. Smart meters are read remotely on a daily basis, which provides information on consumption to ratepayers they’ve never had access to before—information that can help them make decisions about their energy use to conserve and save. Right now, there are only about 24,000 Memphis Light, Gas and Water customers who have smart meters hooked up at their homes. About 80 percent are in Memphis, and the rest are in Shelby County and the suburbs. That represents about only five percent of the utility company’s total customer base.

By upgrading MLGW's metering technology, all customers will be able to take advantage of many benefits including PrePay, automated outage notification, tamper/theft detection and reduced customer fees. It’s why MLGW believes moving forward with smart meters is in the best interest of customers.

Electrical repairs to affect traffic in downtown Memphis

MLGW crews are preparing to begin emergency repairs to reinforce an electric duct line in downtown Memphis. Traffic on South Second Street will be reduced to one lane between Beale Street and Dr. M.L.K. Jr. Avenue. One lane of Lt. George W Lee Avenue will also be closed near South Second Street and The Westin Hotel.

MLGW and contractor equipment will be on site beginning Thursday afternoon; repairs will begin Friday morning. Work is expected to continue through next Wednesday, Nov. 25. Drivers should expect heavier traffic in this area as a result, especially during events at the nearby FedEx Forum.

MLGW 2015 Art Contest Open for Entries

MLGW is once again sponsoring its annual Energy Awareness Poster Contest for students in Shelby County.

This year, the theme is “Saving Water” and the deadline for submissions is Friday, December 4, 2015 at 4 p.m.

The students’ artwork will help to increase awareness about water conservation which will in turn help customers’ save money on their utility bills while preserving one our county’s most treasured natural resource. All students enrolled in grades K-12 attending ANY school within Shelby County or are home schooled within Shelby County are eligible to enter the contest.

Judging will cover three categories: elementary school (grades K-5), middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12). The entries will be judged on their ability to clearly and creatively communicate the theme "saving water." MLGW will oversee the judging of the artwork with non-employee judges.

Each category winner will receive a $125 award. Each winner's teacher will receive a $125 gift certificate to the Art Center. Home schooled students will need validation from their parent/instructor. All contestants will receive a certificate of participation, and all entries become property of MLGW and may be used for future energy-saving promotional purposes.

Entries must be the original artwork of the student submitting the entry; photographs and computer-generated artwork will not be accepted. Contestants will submit their artwork to the art teacher at their participating school.

Entries Submission:

Shelby County Schools: James Wells (wellsjm@scsk12.org);

Home, Parochial, Private, Charter, Montessori and Independent schools should submit their entries to Felicia Pete (felicia.peat@cmom.com).

More information, rules and entry forms can be found on MLGW’s Web site at www.mlgw.com/home/artcontest or call (901) 528-4820 or e-mail CommRelations@mlgw.org.

Smart Talk: Smart Technology Reduces Outage Times

Integrating a smart system with smart meters will have a significant impact on outage management, reducing outage times by alerting MLGW's System Control Center that the power is out at a premise, allowing for quicker problem diagnosis. Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUnqZp8eUNE for a short video on how MLGW is currently using smart technology and how service will be improved with the full deployment of smart meters.

MLGW Promotes Gas Safety Awareness November 20

Local Lowe’s Stores Team with MLGW for Safety Awareness Campaign

Memphis Light, Gas and Water and Lowe’s Home Improvement Stores in Shelby County are teaming up to promote natural gas safety awareness, gas leak response and “Call 811 Before You Dig” on Friday, November 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The gas safety day is in preparation for the upcoming winter heating season as well as any digging homeowners and contractors may engage in and the Call 811 Before You Dig requirement.

On MLGW’s Natural Gas Safety Awareness Day, November 20, the Division’s Gas Engineering employees and MLGW volunteers will staff display tables at several Lowe’s locations to provide information and brochures on natural gas safety, leak awareness and response, gas pipeline safety and more. The Call 811 Before You Dig law relates to any digging, excavating, landscaping and gardening, and home or business construction projects that Shelby County residents and local contractors undertake. Natural gas safety and leak awareness are especially relevant in the fall and winter as many homeowners and contractors prepare furnaces for winter heating and inspect gas appliances for safety. MLGW representatives will share information about:

• What do to in the event of a natural gas leak in a home or business
• How to recognize a gas pipeline leak
• How to recognize transmission pipeline markers

• Pipeline purpose and reliability
• Awareness of hazards and prevention measures
• Damage prevention awareness
• One-call requirements for transmission pipelines and/or home or business excavations

Below is a list of participating Lowe’s locations:

• 430 Germantown Parkway, Cordova, TN
• 585 N. Perkins Road, Memphis, TN
• 8490 Highway 51 North, Millington, TN
• 8300 Highway 64, Bartlett, TN
• 425 New Byhalia Road, Collierville, TN
• 7895 Winchester Road, Memphis, TN

More natural gas safety information can be found on MLGW’s website at www.mlgw.com. For more information about Tennessee One Call, visit www.tennessee811.com.

Temporary Road Closures at I-40 Thursday Night

A portion of Interstate 40 will be closed tonight, Nov. 5 to replace fiber cables located just east of the Wolf River bridge. 

The effected areas of I-40 include:

• Westbound:
  I-40 all lanes at Sycamore View, plus the Sycamore View ramp to westbound I-40.
  
  

• Eastbound:
  I-40 all lanes at Wolf River Bridge, which includes eastbound Sam Cooper, the eastbound fly-over and eastbound I-240 to I-40.

The first closure will begin at 10 p.m. and last about 30 minutes, after which traffic will be allowed through.

A second closure will begin at 11 p.m. and also last about 30 minutes.

During the time that the work is being performed, TDOT is encouraging drivers to use SRE-385 between I-40 and I-240.

After this work is completed, these portions of I-40 will resume regular traffic flow. 

Forum guides women on the ins and outs of utility work

Susan Jenkins

One crafted yummy appetizers as a country club pantry chef. Another delivered packages to cargo planes as a FedEx hub driver. Both switched careers to become MLGW utility workers.

Former chef Susan Jenkins and former driver Glynis Finnie will be sharing their stories at the Nontraditional Careers for Women forum on Friday, Nov. 13 at the Salvation Army Kroc Center, 800 East Parkway South.

“My mother always told me, ‘If you can ever get on at MLGW or BellSouth, you’ll be covered for life,’ ” Jenkins said. Since she was hired 28 years ago, Jenkins has risen through the ranks and is now a general foreman in the gas department.

Finnie has operated a back hoe and changed out street lights from a bucket truck during her 25-year MLGW career. She is now a crew leader in the electric department. 

“It’s a field that has endless possibilities,” Finnie said. “I can go anywhere in the world to work.”

While participants will learn what it takes to be a utility worker, this is not a jobs fair. It is also limited to the first 150 women who sign up online. The forum is from 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. with lunch provided.

Click here for the free forum: Sign up for the MLGW Nontraditional Careers for Women Forum

At a glance:

·        Nontraditional Careers for Women forum

·        Nov. 13 from 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

·        Salvation Army Kroc Center on East Parkway near Central

·        Limited to 150 participants

·        Sign up for the MLGW Nontraditional Careers for Women Forum

on left Glynis Finnie with map and blue shirt

MLGW’s Winter Moratorium program to assist elderly and disabled customers

As winter approaches, MLGW wants to ensure uninterrupted service to its senior (60+) and disabled customers. The Winter Moratorium program has been in place for over two decades and prevents cutoffs for registered customers during the months of December, January and February. 

Participants are still responsible for paying their utility bills during this time, but in the event that the bill exceeds the customer’s means, the customer will not be disconnected. If there is a balance left at the end of the February billing cycle, registered customers can qualify for a short term payment plan.


There are no income restrictions for the Winter Moratorium program. However, applicants cannot have an outstanding balance greater than $199.99 on their utility bill on November 30 when the program begins. The deadline for application is November 15.

Simply download the Winter Moratorium form at mlgw.com, fill it out and mail to:

     Credit Operations
     Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division
     PO Box 430
     Memphis, TN 38101-0430

Applications are also available at any MLGW Community Offices.

Note: Please remember to include proof of age (copy of driver's license, birth certificate or another legal form of ID) to send along with your application if you qualify because you are age 60 or over. If you are applying because of a handicap, please remember to send in the proper certification information along with your application.

     Credit Operations     Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division     PO Box 430     Memphis, TN 38101-0430




For more information, visit mlgw.com/wintermoratorium.

MLGW’s Security Contract

On Sept. 16, 2015, a Security Services resolution for Contact #11794 was presented for approval to MLGW’s Board of Commissioners. This resolution awarded the contract to Dynamic Security Inc. for security services at MLGW. This contract was the result of a sealed bid process in which Dynamic Security emerged as the lowest bidder. Several employees of MaxSent, a competing bidder holding the current security contact, attended the MLGW Board meeting to voice concerns.

The City of Memphis once had a Living Wage Ordinance in place that affected requirements for external contracts. MLGW also had a Living Wage policy. In the spring of 2013, the Tennessee State Legislature passed an amendment explicitly prohibiting any local government or government agency from requiring a contracted private employer to pay employees an “hourly wage in excess of the minimum hourly wage required to be paid by such employer under applicable federal or state law.” (Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-112) Simply put, legally, MLGW is no longer allowed — as the City of Memphis is no longer allowed — to make employee wage a consideration in its contracts with private employers, except for minimum wage. Therefore, MLGW must — by state law — accept the lowest qualified bid. Dynamic Security’s bid was the lowest that met the legally allowed requirements for the contract. MaxSent placed the fourth lowest bid.

It is worth noting that MLGW is unable to confirm the projected Dynamic Security wage information presented by MaxSent employees, as the origin of that information is unknown. These numbers were not provided in the bid submitted by Dynamic Security, since proof of compliance with a living wage is no longer allowed by state law.

The contract up for approval by the Memphis City Council provides for adequate security staffing at all MLGW facilities, upholding the current standards of protection and surveillance. Failure to approve this budget item puts MLGW in danger of severe consequences. Our facilities, staff and city could become potential targets of vandalism, crime and/or even terrorism without adequate security measures. MLGW could also fall short of the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) security regulations, a federal violation which can carry fines in the millions of dollars.

MLGW acknowledges and understands the concerns regarding compensation for contracted security personnel. We have a deep appreciation for our guards and officers. We value the experience they bring to their positions and the vital service they provide each day. As with all our employees, we have tremendous incentive to keep well-qualified, experienced contractors who are invested in their work. Beyond that, we care for the wellbeing and success of all who serve MLGW and our customers.

The contract before City Council on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015, results from months of careful, diligent deliberation. Approving this contract is the only clear way to meet the immediate, urgent need to assure safety and security for MLGW, its customers and the City of Memphis.

Space limited for utility work forum

MLGW is hosting its Nontraditional Careers for Women forum on Nov. 13 at the Salvation Army Kroc Center, 800 E. Parkway South, near the corner of Central and East Parkway.

The free event runs from 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. with lunch provided. Space is limited to the first 150 women who sign up online at: bit.ly/MLGWWomen

Participants will hear from MLGW workers who blazed the nontraditional trail years ago. Nontraditional utility jobs are those in which women make up less than 25 percent of the workforce. These are often blue collar jobs that entail walking long distances, climbing utility poles or working in confined spaces in all types of weather conditions.

This is not a jobs fair. Only the first 150 women to sign up will be admitted to the forum.

Sign Up for Text Alerts!

Memphis Light, Gas and Water's Text Alerts program notifies customers of billing due dates and impending cut-offs via text messaging.

Participants in the MLGW Text Alerts program will receive a notification approximately three business days prior to their billing due date and/or scheduled cut-off date only if there is a balance due.

NOTE: Customer balances in MLGW Text Alerts may not reflect recent payments or adjustments to your account.

Please note the following requirements for participation in MLGW's Text Alerts Program.

• Customer will be responsible for paying any fees charged by their carrier for text messages.
   
• Do not depend on the Text Alert as your primary means for notification. Failure to receive a Text Alert will not relieve you of your obligation to pay your MLGW bill in a timely manner.
   
• We respect your privacy. All information will only be used in the manner herein described. Memphis Light, Gas and Water will not sell a user's personal information to third parties for any purpose. Memphis Light, Gas and Water may aggregate information on our entire customer base for analysis purposes, but a user's individual personal information will never be sold or provided to any party.

Register for MLGW Text Alerts

Nashville Based Heath Consults Conducts Gas Survey for MLGW

In the interest of protecting life and property, MLGW is required by law to routinely survey all gas services for leaks. This survey is performed for each gas services from the street to the gas meter. MLGW currently employs a contractor, Heath Consultants, to perform these surveys. Heath employees can be identified by their MLGW safety vests, and MLGW identification badges. 

In the event Heath employees are unable to get to a customer’s gas meter, Heath representatives may call customers to arrange access to their meters. This phone call may originate from Heath’s Nashville office and therefore show a 615 area code on caller IDs. MLGW is asking customers to please help ensure the safety of our community by working with Heath Consultants to grant access to their gas meters to conduct a complete leak survey of their gas service.

MLGW’s New Pay-by-Phone System Goes into Effect Nov. 15

In an effort to further protect customers and comply with new banking industry regulations, MLGW is changing its pay-by-phone process.

Beginning Nov. 15, customers will no longer enter credit card or bank account information via the Interactive Voice Response system. Instead, customers who wish to pay by phone will need to create an IVR login through My Account at http://mlgw.com. MLGW will store payment information just as it does for online payments, and customers can authorize a payment by phone.

Existing My Account users can create an IVR login by clicking “My User Profile” and “My Login Information.” Customers new to My Account will need their 16-digit MLGW account number, the access code found on their utility bill and an email address to sign up. Complete instructions can be found athttp://mlgw.com/paybyphonechanges (link opens PDF file).

MLGW’s pay by phone number is 1-866-315-0277.

For assistance, customers can call the following numbers:

• Residential: Customer Care Center – 901-544-MLGW (6549), Monday through Friday, 7a.m. to 7 p.m.Central time.

• Business/Commercial/Non-residential: MLGW’s Commercial Resource Center – 901-528-4270, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time.