MLGW CEO McGowen: Priority is infrastructure overhaul
MLGW president and CEO Doug McGowen says his priority is finding ways to accelerate the $1.2 billion, five-year plan to upgrade the utility’s infrastructure.
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MLGW president and CEO Doug McGowen says his priority is finding ways to accelerate the $1.2 billion, five-year plan to upgrade the utility’s infrastructure.
During Tuesday city council committee sessions, officials are expected to have more to say about MLGW’s five-year, $1.2 billion infrastructure upgrade that is now expected to be completed by 2027, two years later than the original 2025 target date.
Crime and the city’s power grid were among the major issues and stories of 2022 as discussed on a “Behind The Headlines” reporters roundtable.
“The risk of additional forced blackouts is low for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,” said MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen.
Thecouncil scorecard looks at the moves of city chief operating officer Doug McGowen to head Memphis Light Gas and Water Division and Chandell Ryan to the number two post at City Hall as well as a primer on both positions.
Before his confirmation by the Memphis City Council this week, Doug McGowen indicated MLGW will move closer to Memphis’ day-to-day operations. He also said the city-owned utility could expand to include broadband and has to improve its responsiveness to Memphians.
The council also confirmed Chandell Ryan as the city’s new chief operating officer — the first woman to hold the No. 2 post in city government.
An MLGW board member questioned the $299 million capital spend in the utility’s budget. Utility officials say the five-year, $1 billion plan was slowed by supply chain problems and labor problems.
Council member JB Smiley Jr. proposed that Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland appoint his pick, Doug McGowen, as interim leader of MLGW while a national search is conducted. City Council sends curfew enforcement proposal goes back to committeeRelated story:
Mayor Jim Strickland has nominated Doug McGowen to lead the city-owned utility. But council chair Martavius Jones wants the city to do a national search for the next president and CEO of MLGW.
The council has unusual back-to-back meetings this week and next week, which might have been a factor in delaying what could be a standoff over the appointment for another week.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland says he is ready for the council to act on his appointment to lead MLGW. But council chairman Martavius Jones says it’s not on the agenda Tuesday and he wants a national search.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland reacted Friday to a call from City Council Chairman Martavius Jones to conduct a national search for the next president and CEO of Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division.
The appointment of Doug McGowen to head the utility and the appointment of Chandell Ryan to succeed McGowen as city chief operating officers are not on next week’s committee agenda for the council to consider.
The recommendation Thursday, Sept. 1, from MLGW CEO and President J.T. Young will likely not be the last word on the issue.
With Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division now leaning toward staying the TVA as its power supplier, suburban leaders’ focus shifts to representation on the utility’s board.
Another round of suburbs add their input Tuesday, Aug. 30, on the potential MLGW-TVA split.
Half of Shelby County’s suburbs passed a resolution seeking a voice in decisions regarding Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division.
A resolution has been drafted that will encourage Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division to remain with Tennessee Valley Authority for reliability and to avoid high infrastructure costs.
He is the 37th employee of MLGW to die on the job since 1941.
All 77,330 of the city’s high-pressure sodium streetlights will be replaced with LED lighting in a project that includes an automated management system that notifies MLGW when the lights are out.
The utility received a great that will help it upgrade its infrastructure to be part of a network of 32 fast charging units on interstates and major highways.
For years, advocates have said MLGW could save hundreds of millions of dollars annually by leaving TVA and buying electricity from someone else. But savings of “huge dollars” didn’t materialize in the latest proposals from other providers.
The Thursday meeting will be the first look at some of the price quotes and other proposals to replace TVA as MLGW’s supplier of electric power. But there will probably still be some secrecy about who made what bid.
Tennessee Valley Authority officials got a hostile reception when they took an economic development study to the Memphis City Council Tuesday.