National Grid Responding to Second Powerful Nor’easter to Hit the Region this Week; Prioritizing Public Safety

Full Complement of Crews from Storm Riley Restoration on the Ground and Mobilized

March 8, 2018 – WALTHAM, MA – As the second of two Nor’easters in less than a week caused significant damage in Massachusetts, National Grid has more than 600 line and 200 tree crews working throughout the state to restore power to customers. Winter Storm Quinn blanketed many sections of Massachusetts with heavy, wet snow that left thousands of trees down on power lines and plenty of dangerous road conditions in its wake.

Public safety is always the first priority. National Grid is working with emergency officials to respond to 911 emergencies and wires down calls, and restore critical customers, such as hospitals. The company is also collaborating with state and municipal leaders in a coordinated multi-day response effort that focuses on public safety and then restoration. In some parts of Massachusetts, the company has begun restoration, with support from external contractor crews from 15 states and four Canadian provinces.

“We know back-to-back Nor’easters have been a tremendous hardship for our customers and we understand and empathize with that frustration,” said Cordi O’Hara, president and COO of National Grid in Massachusetts. “We were fully prepared for this storm. We have hundreds of crews on the ground, making repairs and working to restore power. We will not stop until every customer has their electricity back.”

More than 130 damage assessment crews are patrolling infrastructure to get a detailed understanding of the scope, scale, and nature of the damage to the network. This enables the restoration to proceed safely and efficiently and helps us restore power to customers more quickly.  The majority of the storm damage in the Merrimack Valley occurred on the sub-transmission network, main supply circuits that serve as the “middle man” between the high-voltage transmission system and the lines that serve local neighborhoods and businesses. Many of these lines are located in rights-of-way in wooded areas that are carefully maintained to prevent outages, but they are not designed to withstand the extreme conditions that occurred during this storm.

As of 3:30 pm, more than 259,000 customers were without power, primarily in the Merrimack Valley, North Shore, MetroWest, and Worcester areas of Massachusetts. At peak, nearly 307,000 customers lost service.

As always, National Grid urges customers to take precautions to stay safe, and provides several ways to stay connected and up-to-date on the important information about outages and service restoration.

Report or Check Outages

• Customers can check or report power outages in the following ways:

• Log into the report/check outage page on National Grid’s website. This is the best way for customers to check the estimated restoration time for their specific address.

• Go to the National Grid app and click on “report outage.”

• Call 1-800-465-1212.

Safety Messages

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

• Natural gas customers should closely inspect areas around and over gas meters, service hook-ups and vents for ice and snow that could damage equipment or prevent CO from properly venting.

• 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 gas emergency numbers:

  • Rhode Island:1-800-640-1595
  • MA: 1-800-233-5325

• Stay Out – Do not return to your home until National Grid tells you it is safe.