Flipping a light switch and expecting your lights to turn on is something we all take for granted, but it takes a field force of thousands to maintain the infrastructure that carries electricity to your home and respond when your service is interrupted. National Grid’s electricity field crews deliver for our customers no matter the challenge and this unwavering commitment is why we are once again proud to celebrate these men and women on National Lineworker Appreciation Day on July 10. 

“Our lineworkers are on the frontlines of emergencies, working hand-in-hand with first responders in a community’s time of greatest need,” said Brian Gemmell, National Grid Chief Operating Officer for Electric. “Their work is central to delivering safe and reliable service for our customers by maintaining our systems and responding during emergencies. We are proud of our lineworkers every day and commemorate their sacrifice and commitment.”

National Grid’s electric team designs, builds, maintains and repairs overhead and underground electricity lines and substations across upstate New York. They also perform other essential functions that enable our 1.6 million customers. They maintain more than 43,800 miles of overhead and underground lines, over 700 substations, and in excess of 1.25 million utility poles across more than 25,000 square miles in upstate New York.  

Our lineworkers are also our first line of response during storms. These men and women venture into the harshest of weather conditions, working around the clock through weekends and holidays to restore power to millions of customers after damaging storms batter our system. They help us restore power quickly and safely after storms by repairing poles, cables, substations and other electricity equipment impacted by wind, lightning, ice and other storm-related incidents.

Their efforts are regularly recognized by the Edison Electric Institute, a leading industry group, which has presented National Grid with 42 emergency response awards since 2005 for excellence in recovery and response efforts in upstate New York. National Grid recently received four awards for safely and efficiently restoring service to customers following damaging wind storms in December 2021 and April 2022.

National Lineworkers Appreciation Day is celebrated annually on July 10 to commemorate the passing of Henry Miller. Miller, a head lineman for Potomac Light and Power, died after falling from a pole while restoring electric service to residents of Washington, D.C. following a storm. This year marks the 126th anniversary of his death.

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