Memphis Light, Gas and Water

MLGW coverage in one place: the city-owned utility that delivers electricity, natural gas, and water to Memphis households, plus the board that sets the rates, the spending, and the reliability calls made with ratepayer money. Every rate move and board vote is put on the record.

MLGW

MLGW's CEO Puts the Storm Bill Near $18 Million. No Document Yet Says Who Pays It.

Doug McGowen says the city and county will seek about $18 million in reimbursement for the August 22 storm. The application, the program, and the split are all still unpublished.

The 901 Report

MLGW

TVA Came to Memphis and Rewrote Who Pays for AI Power

Meeting in Memphis on August 20, the TVA board created a data center rate class effective October 1, 2026, approved a $13 billion-plus spending plan through FY2029, and, per FOX13, gave SpaceXAI the go-ahead for a direct connection to the TVA grid at its Whitehaven facility. The analysis behind the rate has not been released.

The 901 Report

MLGW

More Than 100,000 in the Dark, and MLGW’s Clock Is Set: "Restored by Thursday Evening"

A bow echo with straight-line winds reported at 80 to 100 mph hit Shelby County the evening of August 22. MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen says the vast majority of customers should have power back by the evening of August 27. The 901 Report is putting the utility's own commitments on the record at hour one, so the week can be scored against them.

The 901 Report

MLGW

Nearly One in Five Memphis Households Lost a Utility Last Year. Here Is How MLGW's Cutoff Machine Works.

MLK50 reports that nearly 1 in 5 Memphis households experienced at least one utility disconnection in 2025, and that disconnections are rising. MLGW's own published rules show a two-tier rating system, staggered shutoffs, and a $58 reconnection fee.

The 901 Report

MLGW

MLGW Wants 125 Megawatts of Batteries at Nine Substations. It Has Not Said What They Cost.

The utility told the City Council the project would push rates down, not up, and would be fully operational by December 2028. The presentation did not include a public price tag.

The 901 Report

MLGW

MLGW's Grid Is Getting Better. For 17 Percent of Customers, It Is Getting Worse.

Outages are falling across Memphis, and that is real. But 17 percent of customers still lose power three or more times a year, and that number is rising. Everyone paid the same rate increase.

The 901 Report

MLGW

MLGW: Who Governs Your Utility, When They Meet, and the Money You Are Now Paying

As The 901 Report opens its MLGW beat, here is how the city-owned utility is governed, when its board meets in public, and where the rate increase now on every bill is supposed to go.

The 901 Report