There are 152 article(s) tagged Doug McGowen:
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:
Normal Station has been one of the areas hardest hit by power outages, but modernizing the community’s electric equipment has resulted in a 50% improvement in reliability.Related story:
Straight line winds downed 11 power poles on Winchester Road, knocking thousands off the grid. Lightning also tripped breakers at utility substations, which McGowen said “had a pretty dramatic impact that we don’t typically see.”
If MLGW had met its tree-trimming goals, trees would have caused an estimated 25 circuit outages in 2020, according to utility President and CEO Doug McGowen. Instead, they caused 120.
By Wednesday evening, fewer than 500 MLGW customers were dealing with outages.
Collierville Mayor Stan Joyner called the latest outage ‘a gut punch’ to those already affected. MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen said weather-related repairs delay long-term reliability improvements. ‘I don’t want customers to lose hope’: Second week of storms knocks out power for 35,000Related story:
Even after the sun sets, there won’t be much of a break from the heat, especially for the remaining Memphis Light, Gas and Water customers whose power is still out.Related story:
“I’m going to ask is that everyone uses sensible measures to conserve electricity where and when you can, irrespective of electrical outage,” MLGW’s McGowen said. MLGW expects current power outages to continue through the weekendRelated story:
The utility replaced more than 350 wooden utility poles in three days.
MLGW needs to clear about 1,400 miles of vegetation each year to maintain its tree-trimming schedule; in the past four years combined, however, it hasn’t been able to meet that goal.
On Sunday night, wind gusted to more than 75 miles per hour. Shelby County was not alone in power outages, which were widespread across Hardeman, Fayette and Tipton counties. MLGW issues boil water advisory for northern Shelby County MLGW: Power restoration from Sunday night storms could take days Sunday storm aftermath gallery: Photos and video from the destructionRelated stories:
Low water pressure forced the advisory. MLGW: Power restoration from Sunday night storms could take daysRelated story:
Doug McGowen said he is working to improve the service Memphis Light Gas and Water Division provides to residents as if the company has to earn their service.
Since 2005, all MLGW employees have been required to live in Shelby County within six months of being hired. The board has voted to change that, and the utility also is looking at signing bonuses that could range from $1,500 to $15,000 for new employees.
He’s seen combat, worked to resolve the city’s sexual assault kit backlog and led the area’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Now, Doug McGowen is taking on Memphis’ publicly owned utility.
James Lewellen could become an advisory member of the Memphis Light, Gas and Water board as early as next month.
MLGW’s number of customer minutes without power has tripled since the 1990s; utility CEO Doug McGowen said Tuesday the question needs to change from how cheaply MLGW can purchase energy to how it can buy enough to meet demand.
In the face of political pressure, Memphis Light, Gas and Water CEO Doug McGowen gave his firmest no yet — MLGW won’t be bidding out its energy supply again anytime soon.
Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division took steps Wednesday, April 19, toward becoming what its CEO describes as a more “agile” organization.
Dr. Michelle Taylor, Shelby County Health Department director, said the decision to end the regularly scheduled meetings is a result of improvement over the last few weeks.