Squirrel Uprising

Both the Commercial Appeal and Channel 3 have done stories today about the outage that affected Substation 6 in Midtown this morning. The outage was caused by a squirrel getting into equipment and causing a short circuit. The outage affected 4,800 customers and was quickly restored in about an hour and a half. Many CA commenters fear a squirrel uprising.

Here are some things to remember:

• MLGW was able to quickly restore power in this case, with many customers getting restored within an hour.

• This outage was caused by a squirrel getting into electrical equipment and causing a short circuit that affected part of Substation 6, which serves part of Midtown.

• Squirrels are actually very nice creatures who normally mind their own business.

• Animal related issues are something that every utility deals with, and they are very rare at the substation level.

• This is the 4th animal-related substation outage this year. There were four in all of last year, three in 2008 and only two in 2007.

• Since the 90’s, MLGW has implemented an extensive animal mitigation program for overhead transformers involving the installation of guards to keep squirrels and raccoons clear of energized components.

• Our substation animal mitigation program has been in place since 2006. It is ongoing, though MLGW has stepped up its efforts in recent months to add additional protection.

• This particular piece of equipment did not have animal mitigation protection. However, other equipment at Substation 6 is protected, and MLGW will seek to make improvements.

• Sometimes there are limits to what can be covered and/or shielded, because it must still be accessible for construction crews to perform routine maintenance and make repairs.

• Substations are a particular challenge because they usually occupy an area of several acres and are virtually impossible to keep completely free of small animals. In addition, there are hundreds of locations in each station that may be vulnerable.

• At newer substations, we have designed to provide greater clearances between live pieces of equipment, making it less likely that an animal can bridge the energized equipment.

TVA rated 'fair' on clean air, renewable energy

One more from the Tennessean...

TVA rated 'fair' on clean air, renewable energy
Utility says it will turn things around

TVA was rated "fair" when it comes to clean air and renewable energy in an environmental performance report by its Office of Inspector General.

The public power producer might have done more poorly, except for its hydroelectric production.

Still, the electricity generated from water flowing through turbines is dependent on rain and might not be considered "renewable" under proposals in Washington that could require a specific amount of alternative energy sources of utilities, according to the report.

The report also noted that the Tennessee Valley Authority "produces a large amount of air pollutants," but said advances have been made and the contaminants are in the nature of its business because it relies heavily on coal-fired plants.

TVA officials have said they are turning things around.

'Room for improvement'

"TVA believes there is always room for improvement in the work that we do, and the environmental performance inspection performed by the Inspector General only helps clarify where changes can be made," said a statement about the report provided by TVA spokeswoman Barbara Martocci.

"TVA appreciates their work and will use their findings to improve our performance."

TVA, the nation's largest public power provider, produces about 60 percent of its electricity by burning coal. About 30 percent comes from nuclear power, and about 9 percent from hydroelectric power.

The rest comes from natural gas, solar, wind and other alternative power sources.

Environmentalists for decades have pressed TVA to encourage energy efficiency and conservation and use more renewable energy sources.

Tennessee has consistently been one of the top three states - and often the top - in per-capita residential consumption of electricity.

After repeated national studies on energy waste and a growing focus nationwide on clean air and energy independence, TVA this summer hired an energy-efficiency expert to help shift its course.

The report said TVA performs "in the middle of the pack compared to its peers with respect to measures such as number of 'reportable environmental events,' amount of environmental fines, generation of low-level radioactive waste, and office materials recycled.

"However, TVA lags other utilities in the removal of polychlorinated biphenyl equipment," it said.

PCBs, which are human-made chlorinated compounds that persist in the environment, were once widely used in electrical transformers as a cooling and insulating fluid.

TVA did better in two other categories: the amount of coal burning byproducts recycled and certified clean marinas on the Tennessee River system. TVA "performs comparatively well" in these, the report said.

Coal ash spill

The agency, which received national attention for a massive coal ash spill at its Kingston coal-fired power plant in 2008, has had a culture that "coal ash was unimportant and relegated to the status of garbage at a landfill," according to the report.

"There was very little recognition of the potential hazard to the public and the environment."

It has taken steps to clean up and make changes in its culture, the report said.

Significant management challenges ahead include dealing with increased environmental regulations related to sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury, carbon dioxide, and coal combustion waste disposal, shoring up ash ponds at its plants and maintaining current low-cost power while meeting environmental regulations.

TVA officials have said $5 billion has been spent over the years on equipment that has reduced air pollution and that they now want to increase nuclear power and natural gas to reduce the amount of coal burned. The transition will be costly in terms of building new plants.

TN puts water quality permits online

As reported in the Tennessean...

A new online database that lets the public view water quality permits locally and throughout the state is available from the Tennessee Department of
Environment and Conservation.

"Adequately managing and tracking all water quality permits is a critical role that falls under the responsibility of the department's Division of Water Pollution Control," Deputy Commissioner Paul Sloan said in the e-mailed announcement.

The public can access the information from the same database that the state's regulatory staff uses. It's part of the department's efforts to promote
greater transparency, accountability and broader access to public information, he said.

Also, the department's enforcement database, set up in 2008, along with many public notice postings, publications and other documents are available.

The permit data viewer is here.

Winter Moratorium Deadline Approaching

The Winter Moratorium program has been in place for more than 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 customers’ 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 on their utility bill on November 28 when the program begins. The deadline for application is November 15. Simply download the Winter Moratorium application found here, fill it out and mail to:

Credit and Collections
Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division
PO Box 430
Memphis, TN 38101-9969

Applications are also available at the Aging Commission, Meritan, MIFA, MLGW Business Offices, or by calling 544-MLGW.

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.

Winter Forecast for Natural Gas Prices

Channel 3 is doing a story tonight on the forecast for winter natural gas prices. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• At this point, market gas prices are anticipated to be about the same as last winter, or maybe even a little lower.

• This is mainly due to very healthy supplies, no disruptions to supply.

• Industrial demand/usage is down due to the economy.

• MLGW helps to keep prices down by purchasing a portion of its winter gas needs during the summer when prices are traditionally lower.

• MLGW also fills its storage facilities in Kentucky and Louisiana during the summer. We can then draw upon these supplies during the coldest days of winter so we’re less reliant on market prices when they are at their highest.

• Weather and consumption remain the biggest drivers of a customer’s bill. An extremely cold winter could cause a spike in gas prices.

• Have your heating system checked out by a licensed professional.

• Check your home for areas where you are losing energy and address them.

• Customers can call MLGW at 820-7878 to schedule a pilot light inspection. Between now and Oct. 5, the service is free.

Bikesharing

With the Shelby Farms Greenline set to open any day, and with tons of people already using it (including myself), I can't help but get excited.

A couple of years ago, I blogged about a short term bike rental program in Paris. Today I learned that a friend of mine in the DC/Arlington area just started using a similar program called Capital Bikeshare.

Throughout the city there are bike stations where you can pick up and drop off bikes. (When all is said and done, they will have 106 stations!) The bikes are designed to fit a wide range of body sizes and are adjustable. Patrons can get a 24 hour pass or pay a monthly fee for unlimited use.

From the website:

Washington D.C. and Arlington's system of bike trails, lanes and routes rank among the best in the country! Nationally recognized as Bicycle Friendly Communities by the League of American Bicyclists, Washington D.C. and Arlington are the perfect place to travel and explore by bike. The region is laced with an extensive and growing network of off-street trails, on-street bike lanes, separated cycletracks, and sharrows. There are even bike lanes on one of the most iconic streets in America, Pennsylvania Avenue!

Looking for ideas on how to use Capital Bikeshare?

* Run errands and skip on the cost of parking
* Get your exercise on your way to work and save on trips to the gym
* Go to business meetings during your work day
* Expand your reach for lunch options by riding to nearby neighborhoods to grab a bite
* Ride to a ball game (Nationals, Capitals, DC United, Wizards are all accessible!)
* See and be seen at your favorite nighttime hot spots
* Enjoy the National Mall and Monuments up close and personal

Who knows, maybe Memphis will have something like this one day.

Bad News and Good News

First, the bad. On Sunday the Commercial Appeal reported that Memphis (and all of West Tennessee) was left out of a plan to create a $230 million charging network being deployed to support the first all-electric cars hitting showrooms late this year.

BUT the good news is, today they Commercial Appeal reports that Mayor Wharton is fighting back.

Wharton: Memphis will fight exclusion from Tennessee's electric-vehicle project

Memphis will fight a plan that leaves it out of state plans to create charging stations for all-electric cars.

“We’re going to seek to correct that,” says Memphis Mayor A C Wharton.

West and northeast Tennessee aren’t included in a plan to establish 2,500 residential and commercial charging stations in and between Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga.

Federal dollars totaling $115 million are partly financing the five-state, $230 million EV (electric vehicle) Project.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a partner in state project, and Wharton points out that the city-owned utility, Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division, is TVA’s largest customer.

While Memphis can’t control the decisions by private companies involved in the project, “to the degree the TVA — Light, Gas & Water is TVA’s largest customer — to the degree TVA (is involved), I’m not going to accept that,” Wharton says.

“But at the same time we’re not going to sit around crying in our milk.”

Last month, Wharton and suburban mayors from the region gathered to promote Mid-South CHARGE (Council to Help Advance the Regional Growth of Electrification).

The region hopes to be selected as one of 15 demonstration areas nationally for a different electric vehicle initiative that Congress is considering.

Memphis will be involved with facilities for electric vehicles “maybe by two sources,” Wharton says.

Walgreens Now Accepting MLGW Payments Via Bill Kiosks

Walgreen’s recently launched MLGW bill pay kiosks in 33 Walgreen’s locations across Memphis. Customers can make cash payments at these locations like they do at other kiosk locations like Exxon.

JD Power Gas Residential Survey Results

The JD Power Gas Residential Survey results came in yesterday. (The Commercial Appeal ran a story here.)

Here are some highlights:

• MLGW had the strongest improvement of any utility in the survey, increasing its score by 56 points.

• MLGW also ranked among the top utilities in corporate citizenship awareness.

• MLGW scored 589 this year after scoring 533 in 2009.

• 75 gas utilities were ranked in the survey.

• This survey is specific to gas utilities and their residential customers.

• The study measures customer satisfaction with electric utility companies by examining six key factors: power quality and reliability; price; billing and payment; corporate citizenship; communications; and customer service.

And here are some MLGW initiatives and improvements related to gas services:

• MLGW had no rate increases in 2010.

• Launched an initiative to restore power to cut-off customers during winter (Partnered with the city and county to restore previously cut-off customers during the cold spell in early January)

• Enabled Visa and MasterCard pay options with a new payment system. (In addition to Discover, customers have more payment options.)

• Launched In-Home Energy Efficiency program which provides rebates to homeowners for making certain types of home improvements.

• Partnered with the City of Memphis on a Home Energy Efficiency Grant (HEEG) program. These grants will provide $5 million in energy-efficiency improvements to hundreds of MLGW customers.

• Heavy involvement and employee volunteerism in community events (i.e. United Way, Special Olympics, LifeBlood, Food Bank, HeartWalk, Diabetes Association, etc.)

• Increased communications with Spanish-speaking customers. (Increased Spanish-language MLGW communications; appearances on Spanish radio and television programs, conducted EnergySmart energy education workshops in Spanish)

• Launched text messaging service to notify customers about due dates and pending cut-offs.

• Increased outreach through social media (MLGW has an active presence on FaceBook, Twitter and MLGW’s blog).

GreenUp Memphis- a new festival celebrating things you can do to make Memphis both more eco-friendly and a more attractive place to live. Live Music, Festival Food, Interesting Exhibits, Prizes & More; its an event for folks who care about their home town and want to make a difference. Join Mayor Wharton for this inaugural event, on The Green at South Front Street, adjacent to the Memphis Farmers Market Downtown behind Central Station. Saturday, October 30th from 11:00AM to 3:00PM. For information call: 576-6000; email: greenup@memphistn.gov.

Best.Tree.Ever.

Do you have a favorite tree? Maybe it's in your yard, at a nearby park, or along your daily commute. Think about why you like it so much, then nominate it for Shelby Farms Park Conservancy's "One in a Million Trees" contest.

Submit a photo or a sketch of the tree, the location of the tree, and a short essay describing why the tree is one in a million to info@growthepark.org. Several local judges will determine the winner.

All nominations must be made by TOMORROW, Thursday, September 23rd, and the winner will be announced Tuesday, September 28th.

For more information, go to Grow the Park.

Workshop to Focus On Energy Efficiency Program

From the Memphis Daily News

Pathway Lending will host a workshop in Memphis next week to educate local businesses about a new $50 million Energy Efficiency Loan Program Tenn. Gov. Phil Bredesen announced last month.

The state of Tennessee, Pinnacle National Bank, the U.S. Dept. of Energy, the
Tennessee Valley Authority, the U.S. Economic Development Administration and Pathway Lending collaborated on creating the new program.

The loan program enables businesses to get significant long-term energy savings while increasing their productivity and profitability. The program offers below-market rate loans that can finance up to 100 percent of costs on projects such as retrofits, equipment replacements and upgrades.

Loans may be repaid with the energy cost savings derived from the projects.

The workshop will take place Tuesday (Sept. 21) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fogelman Conference Center at 330 Innovation Drive on the University of Memphis campus.

End of High Heat Index

Effective today, September 17, 2010, the High Heat Index period that MLGW customers have experienced will end. Customers will resume with the standard guidelines for Deferred Billing (DEFB) and the Net Pay Budget Billing as follows:

• The amount to qualify for a DEFB will return to $500 from $225.

• The minimum payment required to receive a DEFB will return to 25% of the outstanding balance from 25% of the outstanding balance owed or $225, whichever is less.

• The amount owed to qualify for Net Pay will return to $600 from $900.

TVA's Future Plans Suggest More Nuclear, Less Coal

From Fox 13...

TVA’s future is likely to include more nuclear power production and less reliance on coal, according to a draft of an assessment of the utility's options for the next two decades.

The Integrated Resource Plan released Thursday suggests scenarios that could mean idling more coal fired units and adding nuclear units as early as 2018.

A handful of strategies were considered, but the report indicated that TVA would be better positioned in the future if the utility diversified its power production and added more energy efficient and demand response programs.

The public can comment on the plan through November and then TVA will submit the plan to the Environmental Protection Agency in March for a review of the environmental impact. The TVA board will approve plans in April.

The nation's largest public utility supplies power to nearly 9 million people in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.

Getting a ‘Live’ Customer Service Rep

Our Interactive Voice Response (IVR) phone system is designed to give quick and easy automated access to certain MLGW programs and services. However, we understand you may want to speak to a customer service representative. Here are some tips to use when calling MLGW Customer Service:

• Call (901) 544-6549 for billing, payment arrangements and payment issues.

• Call (901) 820-7878 for services (start/stop/transfer), trouble calls and pilot safety inspections.

• For non-emergency calls, Press 1 for English or Press 3 for Spanish and then Press 2. Then listen closely to menus.

• Listen to each menu option. Press 9 to hear menu options again.

• Select menu option that most closely matches your need. Almost every prompt in the IVR can transfer you to a live agent.

• Majority of IVR menus will present “Press Zero to speak to a customer service representative” on the second pass through the menu.

• Invalid prompt selections create an error and transfer you to end of the queue with longer wait times and improper categorization of the reason you’re calling.

Attention Contractors

Mandatory Meeting for Contractors Seeking To Bid for Block Grant Program
Attendance Required To Submit Bidder Qualifications

The City of Memphis and MLGW are seeking contractors who want to qualify for participation in the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. The program is funded by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds pursuant to an agreement with the Department of Energy and City of Memphis.

All contractors interested in participating must attend a Mandatory Bidder’s Orientation meeting scheduled for Monday, September 20, 2010. Registration will be held at 8:30 a.m. and the meeting will begin at 9 a.m. The meeting will be held in the City of Memphis Council Chambers, 1st Floor, City Hall, 125 North Main Street, Memphis, TN 38103. Please save this date because no additional correspondence will be forwarded prior to the Mandatory meeting.

To pre-register for the event, please forward the following information electronically to energysmart@mlgw.org by 3 p.m., September 17, 2010:

Name of Company

Contact Representative

Physical Business Address (no PO Box)

City, State, Zip

Phone Number

Fax Number

Email

Companies who would like to bid must submit bidder qualifications to MLGW’s Contract Management Department by Monday, October 4, 2010. However, bidder qualifications will only be accepted from companies with registered attendance at the Mandatory Bidder’s Orientation Meeting on September 20.

For more information on contracts, contact Tausha Rankin, MLGW Contract Management Department, (901) 528-4451 or E-mail energysmart@mlgw.org. For more information on the Block Grant program, contact Tom Chamberlain, MLGW Customer Relations Department, (901) 528-4887.

Supply & Demand

TVA has made an adjustment to its costs and we have to pass those on to customers. They had limited generation capabilities due to extreme heat and at the same time there was an increase in demand.

The Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) is the mechanism TVA uses to help recover largely uncontrollable fuel and purchased power costs. A variety of factors affect these costs, including weather and global supply and demand issues. For billing periods beginning October 1, 2010, TVA's wholesale FCA will change from the current amount of 0.659 cents per kilowatt-hour to 1.127 cents per kilowatt-hour.

This means that our residential customers will see an increase of approximately $4.93 in October.

Recycling Rewards Program

I love this idea--getting rewarded for recycling. And look at the size of those bins! From today's Commercial Appeal...the article states this program will be coming to Shelby County soon.

Southaven rolls out curbside recycling program designed to reward residents
By Yolanda Jones


Photo by Stan Carroll

A big, blue trash can is joining the pink ones and green ones along curbs in Southaven.

On Monday, the city's curbside rewards-for-recycling program officially started when the 96-gallon, blue, wheeled recycling carts were delivered to some households.

The city is the first in Mississippi and the first in the Mid-South to implement a rewards-recycling program.

Called RecycleBank, the program allows residents to earn reward points by tossing junk mail, newspapers, magazines, cardboard, metal and aluminum cans and glass and plastic bottles into a single recycling bin rather than in with the trash.

The material is weighed and residents receive points, which can be redeemed for discounts coupons, 2-for-1 purchase options, cash value certificates and even gift cards at grocery stores, restaurants, national chains and several local businesses.

The program is free to residents for three months -- October, November and December. Residents must decide whether to opt out of the program by Dec. 1 or pay the $6.25-per-month fee that will be added to their city water bills next year.

Over the next two weeks, the 16,000 recycling bins will be delivered to households throughout Southaven.

On Monday, crews with Waste Connections, the Knoxville-based solid-waste company that is implementing the program, began delivering the bins.

The new bins have bar codes and computer identification chips that will be used to track the amount of waste recycled by each household. Residents will be able to track their recycling points online or by calling RecycleBank.

"We are excited because the mayor and board of aldermen have been committed to recycling for a while, and this rewards program is a big next step for us," said Bradley Wallace, Southaven's director of operations. "We are hoping that the rewards program motivates residents to stay in the program after the free trial period ends. If they do, they will not only get discounts and coupons, but they will help keep a lot of waste out of the landfill."

Ernest Powell's North Creek Golf Course neighborhood off of State Line Road was the first to receive the recycling bins.

"It sounds like a good idea," Powell said as he watched crews delivering the bins on his street. "I'm willing to try it because nothing beats a failure except a trier."

Last year, Oak Ridge became the first city in Tennessee to join the RecycleBank program. RecycleBank, a New-York based company, is working with Waste Connections and offers the rewards recycling program in 300 communities in 26 states.

Roland Joyner, operations manager with Waste Connections, said they plan to offer the rewards recycling program to subscription customers soon in Shelby County, south Tipton County and western Fayette County.

-- Yolanda Jones: (901) 333-2014

Southaven's Curbside RecycleBank Program

Residents are urged to start collecting recyclables now.

If recycling bins have blue stickers, the recycling pickup begins the week of Oct. 4. If the bins have green stickers, the pickup begins the week of Oct. 11.

After that, recycling pickup will be every other week and will be the same day as residents' regular trash-day pickup.

For more information go to southaven.com or call (662) 280-2489.

For more information or to sign up for the RecycleBank program, go to RecycleBank.com or call (888) 727-2978.

Natural Gas Safety

In the wake of a large natural gas explosion in a San Bruno, California neighborhood last Thursday, we wanted to share some information with you.

• Because MLGW does not drill for gas, the utility purchases natural gas from transmission companies that deliver the fuel to city gate stations.

• At these facilities, natural gas is measured and sold, pressure is adjusted to match the distribution system, and a chemical odorant is added.

• MLGW has about 316,000 gas customers. Most of our customers use natural gas to heat their homes in the winter.

• We have 181 miles of gas transmission pipeline in our system throughout Shelby County. Most of this (about 96 miles) is in rural areas.

• While MLGW has not experienced an incident in a residential area such as yesterday’s explosion in San Bruno, we will closely monitor the results of the investigation into the San Bruno gas explosion in order to determine if there is anything we can learn from this incident as it relates to our system.

• MLGW did experience an explosion at its Ridgeway gate station in 1987 when lightning struck the facility. However, this occurred in a rural area and no one was injured.

• In situations like the one in California, it is critical to determine the root cause of the incident. This allows the utility to take the necessary actions to reduce the probability of this happening again. However, it's important to remember that these types of incidents are very rare.

• MLGW and other gas utilities are routinely subjected to rigorous inspection, maintenance and oversight within the company and at the federal and state level. This includes periodic inspections and repairs as necessary.

• If you smell a strong odor of natural gas in or near your home, you should immediately call MLGW's 24-hour Emergency Line, 528-4465. If possible, call from another location, such as a neighbor's home, and do not re-enter your home until an MLGW representative has advised you that you can do so safely. Also remember: do not turn lights or other electrical appliances on or off, or use matches.

• Homeowners or contractors who are planning any type of excavation or digging should first call Tennessee’s One Call hotline at 811. MLGW will then dispatch a professional locating crew to mark the approximate location of your lines.

Fried Dough, Monkey Races & Energy Saving Tips

We'll be out at the Delta Fair all weekend, so come say hi. We're giving out tote bags to Plink-o winners and energy tips are free for the taking. Look for us in the C Wing.

Say No to Styrofoam

Great commentary in today's Commercial Appeal about ditching styrofoam. My personal solution to keeping drinks cold is using a stainless steel straw.


Commentary: Styrofoam: No good for us, our food, our Earth
By Melissa Petersen, Special to the Commercial Appeal

I am particular about how I like my drinks served. I prefer beer in a bottle. Coffee belongs in an enormous mug. I like to see the tea and the ice cubes melt together in a tall glass. And somehow, a mint julep tastes better from a silver cup (even if it's just plated like mine).

Not a single drink is enhanced by being served in a Styrofoam cup.

We're not even talking about why Styrofoam is bad yet. I'm just focusing on what goes into it. The same could be said about food in Styrofoam. It doesn't keep French fries crispy (even McDonald's figured out years ago that paper works best). Styrofoam's slightly plastic flavor seems to seep into hot soup. It doesn't keep a salad crisp. Don't even try to wash and reuse it -- it won't work. So why is Styrofoam so prevalent in our food system if it doesn't really do anything good for the food and drink?

Styrofoam has a single, valuable quality -- Styrofoam is cheap.

I've heard people claim that Styrofoam keeps their high fructose-laden drink colder and I truly hope that a few degrees of coldness are worth an eternity of landfill space. Paper breaks down in a landfill. Aluminum, glass and many types of plastic are recyclable. But Styrofoam is here forever, taking up space, and leaching toxins into our food and our environment.

But coffee is too hot to hold in a paper cup.

But in the summer in Memphis, my drink won't stay cold in the car if it's not in Styrofoam.

But to-go food clamshells made from sustainable materials are too expensive.

But, but, but. It's just laziness and apathy that keep us from demanding better solutions. Styrofoam is banned in more than 100 cities across the U.S. (Portland, Ore., was smart enough to ban it back in 1990) for very good reasons. Styrofoam is bad for us, bad for wildlife who ingest its litter and bad for the environment.

Going green could be as simple as eliminating the Styrofoam from your diet.

Ask for to-go containers that are not Styrofoam (foil and paper work great). If enough people start asking, food service companies will start listening. Bring your own cup for coffee. Don't complain when the restaurants that are using compostable containers charge you a measly 50 cents. They are paying more to be environmentally conscious, and as more restaurants switch to eco-friendly containers, the price will come down, and it will be a moot point. Go hardcore and let places know that if they use Styrofoam, you won't patronize them.

I understand the food-service industry operates on small profit margins, but this is one point where we need to demand better and be willing to put our money where our mouths are, or to find safe, environmentally friendly alternatives.

I recently talked to a restaurant owner who really wanted to avoid the Styrofoam clamshells for to-go orders and leftovers, but was having a difficult time justifying the extra expense of eco-friendly containers. The solution was amazingly simple. It turns out that cardboard trays and foil actually secured the product better. No added expense. No toxins in the landfill.

Going green doesn't have to be complicated or expensive.

Take your pick: cheap and toxic Styrofoam, or something that may cost a few cents more.

It sure would be nice to enjoy food and drink from a suitable container that won't make us, our kids or the Earth sick. All you have to do is make a choice.

Melissa Petersen is the editor of Edible Memphis Magazine and a board member of Project Green Fork, an organization that helps local food-service establishments operate more sustainably. For a list of restaurants that have committed to eliminating Styrofoam from their operations, go to projectgreenfork.org.

MLGW in Top Ten for Economic Development

Site Selection Names MLGW One of Top 10 Utilities for Economic Development

We've been identified as one of the top 10 performing utilities in the nation for economic development, according to Site Selection magazine. (We also made Site Selection’s Top 10 list in 2000 and 2001.)

According to Site Selection, the designation is based on calendar year 2009 performance in four categories: capital investment, job creation, capital investment per capita and jobs per 10,000 in population. More broadly, the designation gauges the ability of U.S. utility companies to complement power delivery with the powers of persuasion in fostering corporate investment in their territories, according to the magazine.

"No group benefits from successful economic development in a city more than the existing customers of a municipal utility," said Jerry Collins Jr., President and CEO of MLGW. "MLGW is proud to continue its long-time partnership with the Greater Memphis Chamber in both attracting new industry to Memphis and assisting existing industry. MLGW's key focus is helping make our business customers more profitable to not only maintain their operations, but consider expansion as well. Over 90 percent of the employment gains and investment in 2009 were from customers already located in the county."

In addition to MLGW, the other top utilities included Alabama Power, Birmingham, Ala.; Entergy Corp., New Orleans, La.; Georgia Power, Atlanta, Ga.; and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Knoxville, Tenn.

“[The top-performing utilities] are constantly raising the bar on delivering superior customer service,” says Ron Starner, executive vice president of Site Selection. “They are always looking for ways to save industrial power customers money; and they are fostering and building coalitions of support for economic development.”

The Site Selection designation is the latest example of national recognition for MLGW. In July, MLGW residential electric rates were the seventh lowest out of the 56 public and private utilities surveyed by the Jacksonville Energy Authority (JEA). The JEA survey compared the cost for 1,000 kilowatts of electricity (a universal standard of measure), and not average utility bills. MLGW customers paid $94.50 per 1,000 kilowatts, about $19.27 less than JEA customers.

Conservation Kits Free Today

Please stop by any MLGW Community Office today between 11am-1pm to pick up a free energy conservation kit! Employees will be on hand to provide information on our Energy Smart program and answer questions.

TVA Kits Forever

TVA has indefinitely extended the deadline for residential customers to qualify for a free energy kit when they complete a do-it-yourself energy audit through one of the channels described below.


As a reminder, here are methods through which customers can qualify for their free energy kit:

1. Customers who register for My Account at www.mlgw.com , login and complete the "Home Profile" and "My Appliances" question sets under the "Home Energy Center" tab will automatically receive a kit at their home address within 2-3 weeks. This is the PREFERRED METHOD as it utilizes the customer's actual billing history and MLGW rates to provide their report and recommendations. (Process takes less than 10 minutes.)

2. Customers who complete the energy right audit at www.energyright.com will automatically receive a kit at their home address within 2-3 weeks. However, this method does not use billing history or local rates, so it is an inferior approach that will produce less accurate information in their report.

3. Customers without Internet access can request a printed energy audit form, complete and return it. They will receive their report and kit through the mail (perhaps in separate deliveries) with 2-3 weeks. Again, this method does not use billing history or local rates, so it is an inferior approach that will produce less accurate information in their report. Customers can request a printed audit form by calling Residential Services at 528-4188.

The free TVA kit contains:

* Compact fluorescent bulb
* Filter whistle that sounds when the HVAC system filter is 80 percent clogged and needs to be changed
* Outlet and light switch gaskets - insulation to help stop drafts and save energy
* Faucet aerators (two) - water-saving filters that improve efficiency
* Hot water temperature card that measures temperature of hot tap water and indicates if thermostat adjustment is needed to save money and prevent water scalds
* Energy use thermometer gauge that helps check energy costs for heating and cooling.

Research in summer 2008 found that, based on actions customers took after they completed the online tools and received their kits, the average household would reduce electricity use by ~ 1,700 kWh. That's about $120 annually--so it pays to participate!

Customer Care Center Open Saturday

Our Customer Care Center will be open tomorrow, September 4, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to handle all call types. Customers can call 544-MLGW (6549) for Billing & Payment inquiries and 820-7878 for Starts/Stops/Transfers of services and Pilot Safety Inspections during these hours to receive assistance from an MLGW service advisor.

As always, emergency calls are answered 24 hours a day at 528-4465.

Text Alerts

Looking for an even easier way of keeping up with your MLGW bill? Then look no further than your cell phone. MLGW now offers mobile alerts to its customers.

Customers can sign up to receive text message mobile notification of billing due dates and possible impending cut-offs.

Customers can register for the program here.

Customers will need their 16-digit MLGW account number and access code--found on your MLGW bill--in order to sign up.

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.

Also, know that you will be responsible for paying any fees charged by your cell phone carrier.