MLGW crews have restored power to more than 36,000 of the 64,000 customers affected by the storm that hit Shelby County shortly before 11 p.m. last night. MLGW crews will continue to work 24 hours a day, in 16-hour shifts in order to restore power. In addition, MLGW’s Customer Care Center will be open overnight tonight to assist customers. MLGW is still estimating that it could be the end of the day Sunday before all customers are restored, though most customers should have power before then.
The areas with the heaviest damage include Raleigh, Frayser, Arlington, Lakeland, and along the Sam Cooper corridor. The type of damage includes downed trees, limbs, power lines and poles/cross-arms.
There are currently about 115 crews in the field performing troubleshooting, tree trimming and pole and line repairs. A total of 26 outside crews will be assisting MLGW with this restoration, and these crews began arriving this afternoon. The outside crews will join MLGW’s workforce tomorrow.
Customers who are without power should call the MLGW Outage Hotline at 544-6500 to make sure their outage is logged in the system. To report an outage, customers will need to have their account number or the phone number that's associated with their account.
New MLGW iPhone App Allows Customers to Check Outage Status
MLGW has created a new iPhone application that allows MLGW customers to access a variety of utility related information, including outage status and a new mobile-friendly outage map. The app is available for free download in the Apple iTunes app store at www.apple.com or through iPhone, iPod, or iPad devices. One of the app's most useful features is the ability for customers to be able to check the status of an outage at their address. Customers will need the phone number associated with their MLGW account and the last four numbers of their social security number or their 16-digit account number. Other features:
• Payment arrangements
• Important numbers
• Payment locations
• Bill due date and amount
• Energy tips
MLGW plans to develop Android and Blackberry apps in the future.
Downed Power Lines
To report an emergency such as downed wires or gas leaks, please call 528-4465. This number should be treated like 911 and only used for these types of emergencies.
MLGW urges customers to be aware of their surroundings as they sift through debris and examine damage to their property. Customers should avoid contact with downed power lines—even if their home or area has experienced a loss of power the lines could still be energized and deadly.
Customers are also asked to avoid the immediate area where MLGW crews are working. These work sites can be extremely hazardous.
MLGW first addresses safety issues such as downed power lines, then moves to repair transmission lines and towers that provide power from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to MLGW substations. The early portion of the restoration process focuses on substations, circuits that represent larger groups of customers, and critical facilities such as water pumping stations, hospitals, and other essential facilities.
Generator Safety Tips
• Never use a generator indoors or in an enclosed area such as a garage. Generators emit toxic carbon monoxide from the engine exhaust.
• A generator should only be operated in a well-ventilated and dry area, away from air intakes to the home.
• Do not attempt to restore power to your entire house by plugging the generator into a wall outlet. The electricity produced by a generator can ruin your home’s wiring and start a fire, and can also feed back into the utility system and energize a line thought to be without power possibly killing utility workers trying to restore power. It can also cause damage to the generator when electric service is restored.
• Handle fuel carefully. Turn the generator off prior to refueling. Gasoline, kerosene and other flammable liquids should be stored outside of living areas in properly labeled safety containers.
• Turn off or disconnect all appliances prior to operating a portable generator. Once the generator is running, appliances powered by the generator can be turned on one at a time.
Important MLGW contact information for customers:
• Outage Reporting: 544-6500
• Emergency: 528-4465
• Customer Care Center: 544-MLGW (6549)
• www.twitter.com/mlgw
• www.facebook.com/mlgw1
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment