MLGW Continues Second Day of Restoration Efforts: Outside Crews to Assist

MLGW continues with its second day of restoration efforts after strong storms rolled through the Mid-South on Tuesday afternoon. The utility has restored service to nearly 21,000 of the 28,000 customers who were without power due to the storm. A little more than 7,000 customers are still without power.

Currently, 73 crews are working to restore power. Crews from other utilities are also assisting with restoration efforts.

The estimated time for full restoration due to this storm is Fri., July 17 at noon.

Customers still without service should report their outage to MLGW’s outage hotline at 544-6500.

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.

Downed Power Lines:

MLGW is reinforcing the need for safety around downed power lines and other potential hazards as residents cut away and remove trees from their properties.

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. Also, if they are not careful, it is possible for the body to become a conduit for an electrical current, which could result in serious injury or death.

Customers are also asked to avoid the immediate area where MLGW crews are working. These work sites can be extremely hazardous.

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 cannot only ruin your home’s wiring and start a fire, but it 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.