National Grid Works to Restore Power to New England Customers

MA, RI Customers Urged to Stay Safe as Storm Causes Extensive Tree Damage

Waltham, Mass. – Last night’s powerful storm brought strong winds and saturating rain, leaving more than 400,000 National Grid customers without power across New England. National Grid crews are beginning restoration as quickly as possible and requests have been made for additional support.

“Safety is our first priority and I cannot emphasize enough the importance of staying away from downed power lines,” said Dan Bunszell, National Grid’s vice president of New England Electric Operations. “We ask for our customers’ patience as we work to restore their power.”

Heavy, wet trees and branches coming down on power lines have resulted in widespread damage in the field. This kind of damage can mean longer restoration times as crews must safely remove trees and debris before repairing and restoration can begin.

As of Monday morning, there were more than 259,000 customers without power in Massachusetts and 143,000 in Rhode Island. Customers should be prepared that restoration could be a multi-day effort due to the extensive damage.

Crews are working on repairing transmission lines first, which will restore power to large groups of customers. Helicopters are surveying transmission lines to identify trouble areas.

National Grid urges customers to stay safe, keep away from downed power lines, and report any outages at www.nationalgridus.com or call 1-800-465-1212.

We are keeping safety a priority:

We urge customers to watch out for their own wellbeing and the safety of utility crews working during the storm. Here are some tips to help keep everyone safe:

• Never touch downed power lines, and always assume that any fallen lines are live electric wires. If you see one, report it immediately to National Grid or your local emergency response organization.
• Power problems can sometimes interrupt public water supply systems or disable well pumps, so it’s an especially good idea to keep a supply of bottled drinking water handy, as well as some canned food.
• People who depend on electric-powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should let National Grid know. To register as a life support customer, call the company’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-322-3223.
• Check on elderly family members, neighbors and others who may need assistance during an outage period.

Electric safety

• If you use a generator to supply power during an outage, be sure to operate it outdoors. Before operating generators, disconnect from National Grid’s system by shutting off the main breaker located in the electric service panel. Failure to do this could jeopardize the safety of line crews and the public.
• If you lose power, turn off any appliances that were on when the power went off, but leave one light on so you will know when power is restored.
• Reminder: It’s not safe to work in an elevated bucket during periods of increased wind gusts. Our line workers begin restoration work only when conditions are deemed safe.

Gas safety

• If  you suspect a natural gas leak:

• Get Out - All occupants should leave the house immediately. Do not use the telephone or light switches for any reason.
• Call Us – After leaving the house and reaching a safe environment, call the National Grid 24-hour New England gas emergency number: 1-800-460-1595
• Stay Out - Do not return to your home until National Grid tells you it is safe.

Carbon Monoxide

• The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to those of the flu.  Depending upon the amount of carbon monoxide in the air and length of exposure, symptoms may include headaches, weakness, confusion, chest tightness, skin redness, dizziness, nausea, sleepiness, fluttering of the heart or loss of muscle control.
• If you suspect carbon monoxide is present in your home, go outside immediately and breathe deeply; then call 911. If symptoms are severe, get medical attention right away.

We are updating our customers:

• Report power outages at www.nationalgridus.com or call 1-800-465-1212
• Receive text message alerts and updates when you text the word STORM to NGRID (64743).
• Use your mobile device to track outage information and storm-related safety tips through National Grid’s mobile site accessible at www.ngrid.com/mobile.
• Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram; we post all the latest storm and restoration updates.
• Track outages at https://www.nationalgridus.com/outage-central.