Community Town Hall on MLGW Power Supply Decision

Kate Tracy | November 4, 2022 | Webinars

After exploring alternative power supply options for Memphis and Shelby County for the last several years, MLGW’s staff is recommending the Board of Commissioners sign a never-ending long-term contract to buy power from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), locking Memphis and Shelby County into paying tens of billions of dollars to TVA for decades. However, there are still many unanswered questions about the process, MLGW’s analysis of bids, and the possible risks of signing such a long-term contract, and there’s much confusion within the community about how such a monumental decision will affect residents.

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Friends of the Earth, and the Chickasaw Group of the Sierra Club hosted a town hall discussion on the current state of play with MLGW’s decision-making, moderated by Pearl Eva Walker with the Memphis Has the Power campaign. During the discussion, our panelists gave information on why this issue is important, how it’s impacting the Memphis community, and how to get involved.

What

Memphis Power Supply Town Hall – A conversation with knowledgeable panelists will be followed by an open Q&A session with the in-person and virtual audiences. Topics included:

  • Why MLGW is considering different options for supplying its power, and what those options include –
  • Why Memphians should care about MLGW’s decision; Impacts on utility bills, reliability of local power system and blackouts, pollution and environment, local jobs, and more
  • Costs, benefits, and risks of staying with TVA, and of leaving TVA
  • MLGW staff’s current recommendation to sign a never-ending contract with TVA
  • Differences between never-ending TVA contract and MLGW’s existing contract with TVA
  • Inflation Reduction Act impacts on energy costs
  • Missing information from MLGW staff’s analysis leading to their recommendation

Panelists

  • Maggie Shober, Research Director with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE)
  • Herman Morris, Attorney at Law and Senior Consultant for Friends of the Earth
  • Dr. L. Lasimba M. Gray Jr.
  • Dennis Lynch, Chickasaw Group of the Sierra Club
  • Moderator: Pearl Eva Walker, organizer with Memphis Has the Power

Learn more and take action at MemphisHasThePower.org.