MEMPHIS, Tenn. — This recent ice storm in the Memphis area comes about one year after the ice storm that greatly affected the city and left more than 240,000 Memphis Light Gas and Water (MLGW) customers without power or heat.
This year, in comparison - though still significant, saw more than 15,000 customers in the dark at some point without power or heat.
This ice storm was in many ways a test of MLGW's infrastructure and preparedness. After last year’s ice storm, the utility promised new improvements, creating an Outage Improvement Team.
With fewer people without power for a shorter period of time - this year compared to last - some said it appears MLGW has passed that test, so far.
The ice storm warning has been canceled for Memphis, but many in the Mid-South are still dealing with the after-effects of downed tree limbs and power lines.
“I’ve kept busy doing housework by flashlight and when I’m not busy in the house I’ve been staying under a blanket," Bartlett resident Erin Ozenmt said.
Ozenmt said after making it through the first two days of the ice storm, the third day her power finally gave out.
“When I woke up at 9 a.m. this morning, the electricity had been off, and I immediately called it in," Ozenmt said.
Ozenmt said last year it took MLW three days to restore her power. But this year after her power went out around 9 a.m., she had an estimate of when it would be on. It only took the utility only hours to fix the problem.
MLGW attributes this to their manpower.
“If we need additional crews, we can bring those in," MLGW representative Gale Carson said. "But right now, we have plenty of crews working 16-hour shifts and they will be working twenty-four until all customers that are impacted by this storm will be restored quickly and safely."
The utility said what makes this year's process easier and more efficient is text alerts. They said it’s the best way you can stay updated once you report an outage.
"Never assume that MLGW knows that their services are out, Carson said. "They must always call in and report that their services is out.”
For some, it’s made all the difference.
“Last time it took three days to get my power restored," Ozenmt said. "This time it’s taken a few hours. So I think they’ve been more responsive.”