MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Storms that rolled through the Mid-South this morning left tens of thousands of MLGW customers in the dark, but the utility was abloe to restore power quickly for most.
According to MLGW, at one point 40,000 customers were in the dark. By the afternoon, that number had dropped to just under 1,400.
Severe weather damaged three substations, which caused in widespread outages. The utility company said their teams successfully rerouted power and were able to restore it for 99 percent of customers in under two hours.
MLGW says lightning caused Tuesday’s power outages
However, the outages set back the time some businesses opened, such as Jersey Mike’s in Bartlett and Walgreens off Stage Road and Kirby Whitten.
“They said the power was out and they’re having to reboot all their computer systems and the registers.” Bartlett resident, David Manley said.
On Tuesday, MLGW re-iterated to WREG that fallen trees and branches, not severe weather, are the leading cause of power outages.
As a way to combat them, they set a 1,491 mile tree trimming goal back in September. They claim that as of March 28, they have completed 802 miles of that benchmark.
With the spring storm season right around the corner, residents say that they hope trimming more trees will cut down on the number of outages.
“Yeah, they need to do that, get them away from the powerlines because that’s what causes a lot of them,” Manley said. “When tree limbs go down, gets the powerlines, the power goes down.”
More information can be found about those tree trimming efforts here.
Thousands of residents across the Mid-South found themselves in the dark this morning after severe thunderstorms ripped through the region, leaving a swath of power outages.
Memphis Light, Gas & Water (MLGW), the area’s utility provider, confirmed that over 31,000 customers lost power due to the tumultuous weather conditions.
As of 9:26 a.m., MLGW’s outage map pinpointed the extent of the impact, showing outages spanning several neighborhoods.
The brunt of the storm’s fury was felt in the northeast areas of the country, where MLGW noted substations were damaged.
This was the case, according to information obtained by FOX13 Memphis. By morning’s peak, the number of affected customers had reached 37,000, reported by The Commercial Appeal.
In response to the widespread outages, MLGW has assured customers that their crews are working expeditiously to restore power.
For those still without electricity, the company has set up a hotline at 901-544-6500 where they can report their outage.
As the cleanup and power restoration efforts continue, residents are cautioned to remain patient and report any downed power lines or electrical hazards to authorities.
Particularly hard-hit areas included Bartlett and Cordova, with other parts of Shelby County also feeling the effects.
“MLGW says that are aware of current outages and will work as quickly as possible to restore power until all customers are back on,” detailed a report by Action News 5. The utility company’s diligence in addressing the issue is expected, but the restoration timeline remains uncertain as assessments are ongoing.
With forecasts predicting unstable weather may continue, residents are advised to stay informed on updates and take necessary precautions. The local community, hit by an unexpected surge of nature’s force, now looks to recovery and the return of normalcy as MLGW works around the clock to illuminate streets, homes, and businesses once more.