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Electricity is one of the ultimate comforts of modern life, but its reliability isn’t guaranteed. Unforeseen technical problems, severe weather, or unavoidable infrastructure issues can cause power failures, impacting business owners and residents far and wide.
If you’re a Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW) customer, you can better navigate these interruptions by using the MLGW online outage map, reporting new issues, and preparing for these occurrences.
Which Areas Does MLGW Serve?
Memphis Light, Gas, and Water is the largest three-service municipal utility in the United States. It delivers natural gas, electricity, and water services to its 430,000+ customers throughout Shelby County.
It’s also the largest customer of the Tennessee Valley Authority, a federal agency that sells electricity to utility providers. MLGW has been meeting Memphis and the surrounding area’s utility needs since 1939.
How To Use the MLGW Outage Map
Stay informed on current outages with MLGW’s helpful online tool, their outage map. Here’s how to leverage this resource.
Pull Up the Map
Navigate your phone or internet browser to the MLGW website, and then click on the MLGW Outage Summary Map tool. When you click the link, a new web page with a digital aerial map of Memphis and its surrounding areas will open.
Zoom and Pan As Needed
Use the map’s zoom and pan features to navigate the area and focus on your home, neighborhood, business location, or other area. The closer you get, the more detailed your view will be.
Explore Outage Details
If there are active outages, a colored square box will overlay the area of impact. Click on the appropriate box to see more details about the outage. A smaller window will pop up, and you’ll see the outage number, status (restored, determining required repairs, waiting for crew, the time the issue was reported, and estimated repair time), and the estimated repair time. At the top of the window, you can also find the number of customers affected.
Legend Interpretation
For more understanding, refer to the map’s legend at the top. It provides color codes for customer ranges and the total number of outages, customers affected, and the percentage of customers currently with power.
Stay Updated
The map automatically refreshes every 15 minutes. If you want more frequent updates, you can manually refresh the map in the upper right-hand corner for the latest details.
How To Report an MLGW Power Outage
The sooner MLGW knows about a blackout or brownout, the faster it can address the issue. If you don’t see your outage on the map, report it promptly to the utility company using this process:
Gather Account Information
Before you report it, find your 16-digit MLGW account number ready to avoid delays.
Call the Outage Hotline
Next, report it to their 24-hour outage outline at (901) 544-6500.
Report Necessary Details
Please provide details, including your account number and other relevant information about the outage, such as unusual occurrences or visible damage.
Sign Up for Text Alerts
Sign up for outage alerts through your MLGW account to get real-time updates on outages and restoration via text.
Monitor the Map
After reporting, check the MLGW outage map for restoration updates to manage expectations.
How To Prepare for a Memphis Power Outage
- Secure an Alternative Power Source
Just because the grid is down doesn’t mean you have to be completely without power. Investing in an emergency power supply, such as a portable power station, can allow you to stay empowered and run essential appliances and devices.
The EcoFlow DELTA Series Portable Power Stations, such as the EcoFlow DELTA 3, are excellent during short outages or rolling blackouts.
If you frequently experience prolonged electricity interruptions, consider upgrading to the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Series Solar Generator (PV220W), which adds energy generation capability using solar power.
- Assemble an Emergency Kit
Create a kit of emergency essentials, including flashlights with extra batteries, a first-aid kit, non-perishable goods, and at least one gallon of clean drinking water per person per day you expect to be without power.
- Make a Plan
In addition to your emergency kit, develop an emergency plan for your household so everyone knows how to respond if the electricity shuts off. Your plan could include a primary meeting area in the home, emergency contacts, instructions to operate the power supply, and an evacuation plan if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
To check the status of your power outage in Memphis, Tennessee, you can go online via computer or phone to the MLGW Outage Map, which gives you real-time updates on current outages, affected areas and customers, repair status, and estimated restoration times.
Final Thoughts
Outages happen; there’s no way around it. You can only control yourself and your response. Stay prepared with a backup power supply for your home, such as EcoFlow Portable Power Stations or EcoFlow DELTA Series Solar Generators, to ensure you can still power essential appliances and devices when the grid isn’t working.
You can also track updates on the issue and expected restoration times using the MLGW Outage map through their website. Hang tight; the blackouts won’t last forever.