A week after storms knocked out power, MLGW says 1,500 customers are still without power
Thousands remain without power a week after a powerful band of storms tore through the Mid South in late June. About 1,500 consumers have weathered the week's heatwave and have not had their power restored as of 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
The majority of homes without power are in the Shelby Forest, Ellendale-Bartlett and Fisherville areas, according to a press release from Memphis Light, Gas & Water on Sunday morning.
At the peak of the outage, more than 120,000 customers were without power.
As a "full complement of crews" work to restore the grid, MLGW is asking Memphians to report any outages they are experiencing. So far, the utility has fixed power to 120,500 homes.
"It is possible for an outage at the circuit or distribution line level to mask another outage at the fuse, transformer or service drop level," MLGW said in a press release. "When the circuit is fully repaired, the system may not automatically detect an outage downstream."
Some customers, according to the utility, may have storm damage to the weatherhead on their homes. MLGW said homeowners need to repair that themselves, and have the repair checked by the City of Memphis's Code Enforcement Division before power can be restored to the home.
A weatherhead is "a piece of equipment, typically above the roof or attached to the side of the customer's home, that connects the customer's wiring to MLGW's electric lines."
What is Sunday's heat outlook, and where to find shelter
The City of Memphis has opened cooling centers throughout the city to help those without power, and those who do not have functioning air conditioning units to stay cool.
Sunday, however, the cooling center at the Frayser Raleigh Senior Center will close at 1 p.m. "due to the decrease in the heat index." The Benjamin Hooks Library, which is open from 1 until 5 p.m., will be available for those seeking shelter from the heat.
The Benjamin Hooks Library is located at 3030 Poplar Avenue.
The heat index reached nearly 115 degrees Saturday. Memphis is, again, under a heat advisory from the National Weather Service in Memphis, with the heat index potentially reaching 108 degrees Sunday.
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Memphis is also at a slight risk for severe thunderstorms, according to the weather service. Damaging winds are the primary concern, and the watch extends until 10 p.m. Sunday night.
NWS Memphis recommends Memphians under the heat advisory to drink water and stay in a cooled environment during the dangerous heatwave. If going outside, the weather service recommends lightweight and loose-fitting clothing.
For those who cannot reschedule outside work, regular breaks in shady or air-conditioned areas are recommended by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Lucas Finton is a news reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com and followed on Twitter @LucasFinton.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: MLGW works to restore power a week after powerful storms hit Memphis
