MEMPHIS, Tenn. — There's a new leader atop Memphis, Light, Gas & Water, and he's hitting the ground running.
Doug McGowen took over this week as the utility's new President & CEO and spoke exclusively with ABC24 on his immediate and long-term goals.
McGowen, who previously served as the City of Memphis' Chief Operating Officer, said his top two priorities are improving customer service and making sure power is more reliable, so customers get what they pay for.
For the first priority, McGowen promised less wait times by expanding staff at call centers as the calendar flips to 2023.
"We really want to cut down on the time it takes for you to get the services you request from us," McGowen said.
McGowen's second priority is ensuring that MLGW limits widespread outages by replacing aging infrastructure more quickly and clearing more debris sooner around older lines.
"As you know there is a five-year improvement plan that's established. We want to accelerate that plan. It's been tough to get tree trimming crews on board but we are going to take a good hard look at that," McGowen added.
McGowen will also oversee - starting next year - MLGW's replacement of more than 80,000 street lights with LED lights, which last longer and are more more energy efficient.
"The light is a lot more clean, makes it feel a lot more like daylight," McGowen said.
"Doug McGowen is not afraid of change. He's really not a guy that's about status quo," Protect Our Aquifer Executive Director Sarah Houston said.
Houston, a leader with the group that advocates for our drinking water, is optimistic McGowen's leadership will focus on proactive - not reactive - maintenance, to limit lengthy outages after ice storms or thunderstorms.
"We can't just be waiting until the next crisis," Houston said. "We saw that in February 2021; we didn't have water, 2022; we didn't have power. How do we get ahead and prepare for these events are going to happen more often?"
McGowen also said he's awaiting a new independent report for Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, on potential different power supplier options in the future.
The MLGW board recently rejected a 20-year contract with the Tennessee Valley Authority, as proposed by former MLGW President J.T. Young.
Instead, MLGW will continue to buy power year-to-year from the TVA, with a five-year exit clause if the utility ever decided to buy its energy elsewhere.
"We will want to take a look at the future - that as technology changes and as there are advances in the industry, we always are going want to want to take a look at what's next. But I think it's too soon to say we'll immediately turn and do something like that (consider leaving the TVA)," McGowen said.