Lewis County Herald - Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898

(Power Outage Update released on August 21, 2021 @ 5 p.m. shortly after the storm - Centerville, TN) — Devastating. Hickman, Houston and Humphreys counties in the Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative service area are facing loss and damage. Flash flooding has left roads impassable, people unreachable and damaged electric and broadband equipment behind.

Approximately 10,000 are without power, almost a third of MLEC’s total service area. This number could change as electric equipment is repaired and begins responding to software signals that records the outages. Repairs will take several days, and the cooperative encourages those without power to follow their personal emergency plan and move to another location. MLConnect broadband repairs will also take several days.

The Humphreys County office flooded and could be a total loss, so plans are being enacted for a mobile office. Trucks and equipment on site are damaged; therefore, replacements from other locations will have to brought in when roads are accessible. Most employees are unable to reach the office due to roads, but those that can are reporting.

Crews in Hickman and Houston counties are working on locations they can reach and waiting for waters to go down in others. As with Humphreys, the full extent of the damage will not be known until we can get in to survey the damage, possibly tomorrow.

Lewis and Perry counties had minor issues, and these employees are responding in other counties. Additionally, contract crews and neighboring utilities will reach us and provide support tomorrow.

Hospitals and other critical infrastructure facilities will be our first priority in restoration efforts. Next, MLEC will focus on main distribution lines to get the greatest number of people on in the quickest amount of time. Then, we work out correcting problems as we go. After larger groups of members are restored, crews will fix individual service lines to homes.

“The safety and well-being of our communities, employees and rescue efforts are top priorities right now,” said MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan. “Our employees are dedicated to serve and leaving their personal damages at home and taking alternate routes in to the office where they can. These are devastating conditions to work in, but our employees and their heart for service are ramping up for the long days ahead as our hometowns begin to heal.”

Understandably, phone lines are extremely busy, but representatives are working diligently. Please use the mobile app or call 1-888-879-6038 to report your outage. With such a high volume of calls, lines may be busy or take time to answer. Please be patient, have your phone number ready, and call again if necessary.

(Most recent Power Outage Update released on Wednesday, August 25, 2021 10 a.m. - Centerville, TN) — Morning shed light on progress for Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative with power restoration efforts in Humphreys County. Of locations that can be reconnected, less than 50 remain without power, and most of these are concentrated in the Williams Hollow Road area. Hundreds of homes, mostly within the Waverly city limits, will require owner repairs before power can be returned.

In addition to repairs where reconnection is possible, MLEC is rebuilding lines and repairing the distribution system to devastated areas so that when the homeowner or business owner is ready, power can be supplied.

“The progress we have been able to make in these last few days has been encouraging,” says MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan. “The resiliency of our employees and communities is evident. We are working to serve our members as quickly and safely as possible while also being mindful of other emergency services within the county. We can’t thank everyone enough for their support. We’re hurting and healing together.”

Please help us share this information with those in the community:

As of today, MLConnect is working on main line repairs and individual services that can be restored. To report a broadband outage, call any MLEC office 24/7 to be connected to tech support, or visit mlconnect.com and use the member-subscriber support portal. (Scheduled installations are going forward for locations in all five MLEC counties that have power, as we wait for access in flooded areas.)

PLEASE CALL IF YOU ARE WITHOUT POWER – EVEN IF IT HAS BEEN REPORTED BEFORE -BECAUSE COMMUNICATION IS STILL TOUCH AND GO IN THE COUNTY AS TELECOMMUNICATIONS REMAIN UNDER REPAIR.

To help with phone congestion, MLEC has established a new phone line. To report an outage, Humphreys County residents should call 931-296-2581, 931-622-9035, or 1-888-879-6038. Outages can also be reported to any MLEC office and relayed to Waverly.

For timely service, do not report outages on Facebook or via email.

There are no meter set fees for those who have been displaced by the flood. Disconnections and late fees are also waived at this time.

Payments can be made on the phone by credit card, using the mobile app or online. Presently, in-person payments are suspended in Humphreys County.

Most MLEC services can be handled over the phone; however, if you need in-person assistance, please contact and visit another MLEC location.

SAFETY NOTICES:

For safety, open the main breaker at your home if possible.

If you have a medical emergency make arrangements to be moved to a location that has electricity. Check on neighbors who might need assistance. We are still looking at several days of repairs.

Stay clearly away from downed power lines. Contact MLEC if you see them on the ground and do not try to move them. If touched, they could cause electrocution or serious injury.

Use extreme caution when using a generator. If you own a generator, contact MLEC. A generator can send electricity back through electric lines and electrocute linemen or others involved in restoration efforts. See http://www.mlec.com for proper generator installation and use.

If the weatherhead at your home is torn down, an electrician will need to repair this before MLEC can restore power.