MEMPHIS, Tenn. – – Anger and desperation are mounting for thousands of Shelby County residents who went a 7th day without power Wednesday.
MLGW hopes to have everyone’s power back on by Friday night but admits some customers may continue to have problems into the weekend.
“We see and know this continues to be very taxing on customers who have yet to be restored,” MLGW President J.T. Young said. “Each storm has very different characteristics and so we are doing our best with what we have to optimally restore this power, to make sure we have the right folks in the right places to safely get everyone restored.”
Crews are progressing from restoring circuits to fuses so they can bring power back to smaller areas still in the dark.
“These are lines that come off the main circuit line and go into neighborhoods, blocks,” MLGW official Alonzo Weaver said. “We are finding damage and that’s going to slow things down just a bit. It requires tree trimming, equipment replacement in many cases and some extensive work on the line.”
Brenda Jones, with Shelby County Emergency Management, said the county is offering help to homeowners. If you need help, call 901-430-0995.
“They can receive immediate assistance to help them with cutting fallen trees, dry wall, flooring, appliance removal, mold mitigation,” Jones said. “Anything that is a result of the storm.”
Young has a warning for residents about fallen power lines.
“Be careful around those. Don’t touch those,” he said. “Let us know about them so we have them on our radar. We probably do but in case we don’t.”
If you use SNAP benefits and you lost food because of the power issue, you can get that food replaced by telling the Tennessee Department of Human Services.
