MLGW to drill more wells to keep water pressure up during emergencies
Because of a combination of “hard fiscal decisions in the past” and lower water demand, MLGW delayed installing new wells even as old wells aged out.
There are 196 article(s) tagged Doug Mcgowen:
Because of a combination of “hard fiscal decisions in the past” and lower water demand, MLGW delayed installing new wells even as old wells aged out.
Memphis Light, Gas and Water has moved into the second phase of its project to replace the city’s old sodium streetlights with LED bulbs.
Even though it was colder for longer, Memphis got a welcome surprise this past storm: The power mostly stayed on.
Three years ago, Memphis Light, Gas and Water issued its first boil-water advisory for the area. Since then, it’s issued four more. Related stories:
Customers are requested to stop dripping faucets and refrain from going to get their car washed. That will help save 10 million gallons of water a day, Doug McGowen said at a press conference Sunday, Jan. 21. College campuses in the area closed again MondayRelated stories:
Area schools close Monday as snow, ice struggle to thaw
The last time MLGW’s power supplier TVA experienced record power demand, Memphis had its first rolling blackouts.
“This is not a time to panic,” said Memphis Light, Gas and Water president and CEO Doug McGowen. “It’s a time to prepare.”Related story:
With an ability to cross racial lines, the outgoing Memphis mayor was a boss who knew how to delegate and trust experts but did not abdicate responsibility for making decisions.
Jim Strickland’s years as mayor took Memphis into its third century of existence, through the COVID-19 pandemic and brought it face-to-face with some of the worst crimes and crime waves in its modern history.
Whitehaven resident Patricia Smith is one of about 10% of MLGW customers affected by billing issues over the past year due to faulty smart meters.
“I cannot guarantee that nothing will happen,” Doug McGowen, president and CEO of Memphis Light, Gas and Water said. “But I can guarantee that we’re much better prepared than we were last winter.”
“It has been one heck of a year, and it’s culminated with this most recent decision by City Council,” MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen said of this week’s vote to approve a 12% electricity rate hike.
“I heard loud and clear from City Council and from other people that moving the headquarters from Downtown was not the right signal at this time,” MLGW’s president and CEO told The Daily Memphian.
“I believe, and my team believes, this is the necessary remedy for decades of disinvestment and failed decisions under previous presidents and previous councils,” said MLGW CEO Doug McGowen.
MLGW’s CEO said the utility has operated with a “run to fail” mindset, meaning it only fixes what’s broken, and there haven’t been regular investments in MLGW’s infrastructure for decades.
MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen said underground power line improvements show the benefits of MLGW’s 2020 rate hike.
MLGW president and CEO Doug McGowen’s plan, if approved, could help address Memphis’ present and future power needs.
The utility wants to move its headquarters to a larger building, a $31 million, 300,000-square-foot facility in the Goodlett Farms area, north of Shelby Farms Park. Related story:
The proposed rate hike would fund $1.2 billion of power grid improvements over the next five years.
The Tennessee Valley Authority’s board of directors will vote on a proposal to replace local combustion turbines with aeroderivative turbines, which are more modern, and help integrate renewable energy into the grid.
The Memphis mayor appoints MLGW’s president and CEO. Doug McGowen was appointed last fall, but the city’s next mayor will have the power to remove him at any time.
According to the police report, the suspect — a 56-year-old woman — said: “At least you have power,” and “Your husband needs to retire.”
On Friday afternoon around 1:30 p.m., another line of storms crossed the Mississippi River. As of 12 a.m. Saturday, MLGW was reporting more than 42,000 customers without power.
“In some cases, we’re seven, eight, nine years behind. We have got to get back on schedule, and we will. The City Council has already approved this. My board has already approved this,” MLGW’s CEO said.
The majority of outages remaining from Tuesday’s storm are in six clusters: Raleigh, Frayser, Berclair, East Memphis, Germantown and Hickory Hill. Related story: