Saturday Storms Cause Widespread Outages Update #5

TVA and MLEC are conducting maintenance to improve reliability

(June 25, 2025 – McEwen, TN) Meriwether Lewis and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) will perform essential maintenance at the McEwen Substation early Sunday, June 29, requiring a planned power outage for members in the affected service area.

The outage will begin at 12:01 a.m. and last until approximately 5:00 a.m. This outage follows substation issues identified earlier this week. In response, TVA and MLEC are acting swiftly to make repairs and ensure continued reliability for members. Choosing the early morning hours minimizes disruption and takes advantage of the coolest part of the day.

The impacted area is essentially all of McEwen, including everything north of McEwen to Highway 70 towards Erin, south to Bold Springs Road, Highway 230 and Tumbling Creek, east to the Dickson County line, and west to Gorman.

Some parts of Houston County will also be impacted. These are Judy Branch Road, Harvey Road, AJ Dalton Road, and part of Highway 231.

A full map of areas is listed below (click to enlarge) and will also be shared on social media. In the event of inclement weather, the outage will be postponed. Updates will be posted to MLEC social media.

To help prepare, MLEC encourages members to follow a few simple tips:

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Consider adding ice packs to extend cool temperatures.
• Charge your cell phone and other essential devices before the outage begins.

For questions or concerns, please contact your local MLEC office or visit mlec.com.

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MLEC shares guidelines to better navigate extreme heat

(June 24, 2025 – Centerville, TN) – Consecutive days of extreme heat across the Tennessee Valley Authority service area have caused TVA to ask valley residents to reduce energy consumption effective June 24. Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative is taking steps in-house to conserve energy and asks members to follow TVA’s request to help maintain a stable power grid.

Residents are asked to use large appliances outside of peak hours (1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.) such as dishwashers, ovens, washing machines and electric dryers. Also, turn off unnecessary devices and lights, and when possible, adjust thermostats up a degree or two. Keep curtains, shades or blinds drawn to limit direct sunlight and keep your home cool.

MLEC is a local electric distribution cooperative that purchases its power from TVA. As part of the agreement, MLEC supports TVA in electric load curtailments to maintain reliability during rare circumstances such as summer weather events. Once TVA returns to normal operations, MLEC will communicate the changes to members.

“MLEC apologizes for this inconvenience to members,” said MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan. “We are taking every step in-house to comply with TVA and hope members follow as well to ensure a reliable power grid for all members.”

During extreme temperatures, MLEC also recognizes the importance of safety while following curtailment guidelines. We encourage members to check on your elderly neighbors, hydrate and remain cool. For other safety tips and energy efficiency questions, visit mlec.com/safety.

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Members interested in running for the MLEC Board should file by July 15, 2025.

(June 11, 2025 – Centerville, TN) – Each October, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative holds official district meetings in each county where a Board of Director term is expiring. This year, elections will occur in the following counties: Hickman (incumbent Wayne Qualls), Houston (incumbent Sam Fussell), Humphreys (incumbent Larry Mayberry), and Lewis (incumbent Bill Webb).

Members interested in running for the MLEC Board in 2025 must meet the specified qualifications and submit a Declaration of Candidacy form by Tuesday, July 15, to have their name placed on the ballot in October. Candidacy declaration forms can be picked up from any MLEC location and found online at www.mlec.com/mlec-board-directors.

Qualifications include:

• Must be a natural person at least eighteen (18) years of age and a member in good standing now receiving residential electric service from the Cooperative.
• Must not be an employee nor the spouse of an employee of the Cooperative (or its subsidiaries), nor a child, grandchild, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew of an employee of the Cooperative (or its subsidiaries) related by blood, adoption, or marriage.
• Must not be a former employee nor the spouse of a former employee of the Cooperative (or its subsidiaries) unless employment with Cooperative (or its subsidiaries) was at least two (2) years previous to the date of the forthcoming district election.
• Is a continuous resident in the district from which election is being sought.
• Is a high school graduate or holds a GED certificate.
• Has never been convicted of a felony.
• If a candidate for re-election, must have received certification of completion of the Credentialed Cooperative Director Curriculum offered by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association or such similar cooperative director education and training program approved from time to time by the board of directors. If not a candidate for re-election, must understand that such will be a requirement for qualification to stand for any future re-election as such.

Official district meeting notices, including dates, will be in published in the local paper, The Tennessee Magazine and online at www.mlec.com/the-tennessee-magazine in September.

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Brief service disruptions are expected to enhance reliability

(June 10, 2025 – Centerville, TN) – MLConnect will conduct network maintenance that will further strengthen the reliability and security of its broadband service. As a result, all MLConnect subscribers will experience two brief, carefully scheduled service interruptions to minimize inconvenience:

• Subscribers will experience a single 15-minute interruption sometime between 12:01 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on one of the following dates:
  • June 11: Hohenwald
  • June 13: Waverly and Hohenwald (remaining areas)
  • June 17: Linden and Tennessee Ridge
  • June 18: McEwen and Erin
  • June 19: Hickman County and Lobelville
  • June 20: New Johnsonville and Hickman County (remaining areas)

• All subscribers will experience a 60-minute outage between 12:01 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on June 24 (Hickman County, Waverly, Erin, Lewis County) or June 25 (McEwen, New Johnsonville, Perry County, Tennessee Ridge) depending on your location.

 “We understand that even short outages can be inconvenient, which is why we’ve strategically scheduled these necessary upgrades during overnight hours,” Vice President of Emerging Technologies and MLConnect Ken Little said. “This allows us to deliver greater reliability and security while least impacting the daily routines of our valued home and business members. Thank you for your understanding as our team works to provide the best possible internet experience.”

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TVA adjusts rates to summer prices and accounts for fuel costs

(June 2, 2025 – Centerville, TN) – The price of electricity will be higher in June as the Tennessee Valley Authority moves to summer rates and their fuel adjustment cost increases. Meriwether Lewis members will pay about $7.68 more (a 4.5 percent increase) compared to May based on an average household that uses 1200 kilowatt-hours. The total residential kilowatt-hour price is $0.11114, which is slightly higher than the seasonal price a year ago. Members can find a complete rate schedule at www.mlec.com under the Community tab in the About MLEC section.

Meriwether Lewis understands that price increases can impact budgets and summer temperatures will likely increase energy use. To discover how your home is using energy and possible ways to save, contact MLEC today for a free online or in-person energy audit/evaluation. Heat pump financing and rebates on heat pumps, home insulation, and more are also available.

Visit Ways to Save under the Programs tab at www.mlec.com or email nathan.wagner@mlec.com to learn more about using energy wisely. View our top 10 simple steps to lower your energy bill this summer at https://mlec.com/ways-to-save/.

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Fourteen students receive scholarships

(May 21, 2025 – Centerville, TN) — Perry County Junior Rhonda Ledbetter is the five-county winner in Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative’s annual writing contest. She will receive a $1000 scholarship from MLEC, the Larry Stringer Memorial Scholarship for $2000 and could win additional funding through the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association’s statewide contest.

Additionally, a boy and girl winner from seven high schools also received $1000 scholarships from MLEC. They include:

East Hickman High School: Mackenzie Cox and Christopher Batson

Hickman County High School: Mary Mitra and Tim Puckett

Houston County High School: Daniella Stringfield and Fisher Sutton

Lewis County High School: Geena Caprio and Aiden Wise

McEwen High School: Katherine Ross and Ryan Lynch

Perry County High School: Rhonda Ledbetter (Overall winner and $3000 in scholarships) and Edward Watson

Waverly Central High School: Marian Callicott and Kyson Summers

The theme for this year’s annual contest was “Energizing Every Moment.” High school juniors were asked to write about how electric cooperatives improve communities across their service areas while providing safe, affordable, reliable electricity and other services.

A winning student from each school, who resides with an MLEC member, has the opportunity to serve as an MLEC delegate on the 2025 Washington Youth Tour in June. Students who accepted the trip to Washington D.C. are Mitra, Sutton, Caprio, Lynch, Ledbetter and Callicott. MLEC Communications Coordinator Benjamin Armstrong and Employee and Member Services Assistant Holly McKennon will serve as chaperones. Additionally, as the teacher of the overall winner, PCHS’s Kennedi Bates was also awarded the trip.

“The Washington Youth Tour invests in the future leaders of our communities,” says MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan. “We are excited to further their education and bring a new group to our Nation’s Capital to learn more about electric cooperatives and our country’s history.”

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MLEC crews replacing equipment on April 14

(April 10, 2025 – Linden, TN) – Meriwether Lewis has scheduled a planned power outage on Monday, April 14 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. The outage will affect members in the Cypress Creek, Marsh Creek and Spring Creek areas.

We apologize for the short notice and any inconvenience this may cause. Unfortunately, a damaged piece of equipment must be replaced to maintain system reliability. Performing this work under controlled conditions now will help prevent an extended, unplanned outage in the future.

“We appreciate your understanding and patience as we improve our system to provide safe and reliable power to members,” District Manager Mike Hickerson said.

If your MLConnect broadband does not return when power is restored, unplug the router for a few minutes instead of pressing the “Reset” button. If needed, contact technical support by calling 931-589-2151, and selecting Option 3, then Option 2.

If anyone has concerns, please call your local MLEC office at 931-589-2151. In the event of inclement weather, the work will be postponed.

Contracted crews improving reliability with trimming and spraying

(April 8, 2025 – Centerville, TN) – Meriwether Lewis’ yearly vegetation management plan has been finalized and is underway. The program keeps your lights on and the public safe while conserving the natural beauty of our communities. A map of the areas affected is available on mlec.com.

This year, trimming will mainly occur in these general areas in Humphreys County (other hot spot areas throughout our five counties could also be included):

• The northeast corner of Humphreys County
• Southeast between Bucksnort and McEwen
• Waverly area from Highway 70 to Gorman
• Highway 13 toward Buffalo
• Bakerville Road and Forks of River Road

Spraying is scheduled in Hickman County and parts of Lewis County. For special situations where the property owner would like to personally invest and maintain the right-of-way according to standards, options are available instead of spraying. Arrangements require a special form request available from MLEC that must be submitted by May 15.

“At Meriwether Lewis, we carefully balance the natural beauty and environmental benefits of vegetation with our commitment to safe, reliable and low-cost electricity,” said President and CEO Keith Carnahan. “Our 2025 vegetation management plan ensures proper trimming and spraying practices, helping us deliver dependable service to our members because every moment matters.”

MLEC’s program uses a variety of approved, environmentally sound methods to keep vegetation a safe distance away from power lines. Contracted crews maintain a 20-foot clearance on all sides of the power line through trimming, treating, spraying and removal, if needed. As a Tennessee Environmental Council member, MLEC follows recommended standards for good tree health set by the International Society of Arboriculture and the Arbor Day Foundation.

Similarly, licensed contractors registered with the EPA survey areas to be treated and prescribe an appropriate mix. The tree retardant application promotes a subtle transition of the right of way into native grass and flowering plants. These services are vital in providing affordable accessibility, environmental stewardship and multi-use of the land.

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Outages minimal after a week of severe weather

(April 7, 2025 – Centerville, TN) – After several consecutive days of severe storms and flooding, Meriwether Lewis crews are making a final push to fully restore outages. The past week has been a challenge, but as of this morning, less than 50 members are without power or broadband.

In Humphreys County, crews are currently repairing a broken pole on Highway 230 near Accurate Arms and one at Dry Creek. Beyond restoration efforts, lineworkers are also returning to locations where temporary fixes were made during the height of the storms to make more reliable repairs. There are also some isolated cases across the service area with damaged weatherheads, which will require action by the homeowner before service may be fully restored. If a member has a damaged weatherhead where an electricity service connects to their home, you need to contact MLEC to disconnect power and contact a licensed electrician to make repairs.

MLConnect is also working diligently to restore internet service. Repairs are underway in the West Front Street area in Houston County and Goad Road, Pennywinkle Branch, Croff Lane and Indian Creek areas in Humphreys County. Teams are also addressing numerous individual service drops scattered across the five-county service area.

“When severe weather hits, it’s a team effort—not just among our crews, but with our members too,” said MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan. “This past week has been extremely difficult for our communities and your understanding and encouragement make a real difference. We hope that your family remains safe as we focus on restoring full service as quickly as possible.”

As restoration efforts wrap up, Meriwether Lewis thanks the community for all your kind words as we navigated these unprecedented weather events. Difficult times make strong people, and we are proud to stand beside our communities as we move forward. ###

MLEC crews working through treacherous conditions

(April 5, 2025 – Centerville, TN) – About 1500 members are affected by outages across the Meriwether Lewis service area, mainly in Humphreys, Pery and Hickman Counties. Crews are responding but conditions are treacherous and getting worse. With a confirmed tornado touching down in Humphreys County, rising flood waters and ongoing rain across our territory, it will be at least tomorrow (potentially longer for flooded areas) before we can safely reach some locations to restore power.

Broadband restoration has been suspended for the day due to weather conditions. They will resume tomorrow for areas that have power.

For now, our lineworkers and support team are pushing forward tonight to work as quickly and safely as possible. We can’t thank you enough for your patience and understanding as fatigued crews, who have worked diligently this week to serve, push forward tonight because every moment matters.

An update will be provided tomorrow afternoon or sooner if needed. Most importantly, you are in our thoughts and prayers as we come together during this challenge. Our team and families appreciate your support as well.

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