Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) issued a press release today urging caution as crews work to restore power to customers impacted by recent storms. While MLGW reports that nearly 98% of customers currently have their electric service restored, approximately 5,000 customers remain without power. Additionally, an increased risk of severe weather may hinder ongoing restoration efforts.
The National Weather Service has issued an enhanced risk of severe weather in Shelby County and a tornado watch that will be effective until 10:00 p.m. today. The forecast indicates potential hazards such as flooding, wind gusts reaching up to 60 miles per hour, and the possibility of tornadoes. These conditions could hinder repair efforts and lead to new outages.
Yesterday's severe storms caused significant disruptions, impacting local infrastructure and transmission lines operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). In total, 21,020 MLGW customers experienced power outages lasting more than five minutes from yesterday until this morning. The most outages occurred at 2:45 a.m., when 8,514 customers were without power.
Since the storm arrived, MLGW crews have restored power to 15,877 customers and are continuing their efforts to restore service to the remaining affected households. More than 200 MLGW crews, including emergency tree-trimming teams, are actively assessing damage, clearing debris, and making repairs around the clock.
MLGW uses a prioritized approach to address the most critical needs first:
1. Hospitals, flood control pumps, and other essential community services
2. Public safety hazards, such as downed power lines and poles
3. Outages affecting large groups of customers
4. Scattered, smaller outages
Crews encounter significant challenges, particularly when replacing damaged utility poles. This process can take up to eight hours per pole and often requires road closures and coordination with law enforcement.
MLGW is reminding residents to stay alert and follow safety guidelines if the power goes out:
- Check if neighboring homes are affected. You can also view the affected areas on an online MLGW outage map at wknofm.org/outage.
- Report outages using the MLGW app or calling (901) 544-6500.
- Monitor updates through the MLGW Outage Center.
Heavy rainfall has saturated the ground, increasing the risk of strong winds uprooting trees, which is a significant cause of power line damage and outages.
BEWARE: heavy, soaking rain can saturate the ground making it easier for a wind gust to blow over a tree. Falling trees can tear down power lines and lead to outages. Please use your #MLGW My Account or call 544-6500 to report outages. Call the emergency hotline, 528-4465 to… pic.twitter.com/mbrbqbQ97R
— MLGW (@MLGW) April 3, 2025
If you encounter a downed power line, MLGW advises the following:
- Stay far away from the line and call MLGW at (901) 528-4465.
- Assume that all power lines are live and dangerous.
- Do not attempt to remove tree limbs or debris from power lines.
MLGW also encourages residents to check in on family members, neighbors, and friends who may be without power, particularly those with medical or mobility needs.