National Grid’s field force of nearly 4,000 workers continues to battle challenging weather conditions as they restore service to customers affected by the destructive winter storm that began in upstate New York Tuesday and is expected to continue through Thursday evening. 

As of 6 p.m. Wednesday, the company has restored service to 137,200 of the more than 186,000 of its upstate New York customers affected by the storm. In Northern New York, 34,000 of the 66,000 affected customers have had power restored.

The storm brought damaging gale-force winds – including a 78 mph hurricane-force wind gust recorded at Watertown Municipal Airport on Tuesday evening – and heavy rain to much of the region, causing widespread damage to the company’s electric transmission and distribution systems.

Crews have confronted impassable roads and difficult-to-reach equipment repairs in remote areas. They have also faced rain, lake effect snow, and continuing high winds with gusts of 45 to 57 mph. Snow and high winds are expected to continue in northern New York through late Thursday evening, presenting further challenges for restoration efforts.

“The damage to our infrastructure was extensive, particularly in the most remote parts of our Northern New York service area,” said Matt Barnett, Vice President of New York Electric Operations. “Safely restoring service in these areas is time- and labor-intensive. We understand the inconvenience of being without power, and our crews are out in full force to restore service to our customers as quickly and safely as possible.”

Among the tasks at hand is replacing at least 60 utility poles. It can take a single crew with specialized equipment four- to six-hours to replace each individual pole, making it one of the more time- and labor-intensive repairs to complete. Reports of significant tree damage are widespread across northern New York, which requires trained forestry teams to cut back broken limbs and trunks so work may proceed.

National Grid crews from across upstate New York and Massachusetts, as well as contractor crews from as far away as Florida, Illinois and Kentucky are working in northern New York with additional support enroute to the region.

Customers can monitor restoration progress on National Grid’s Outage Central site. Additionally, customers can check on the power restoration estimate for their specific address by logging into our Report or Check an Outage page. The company’s extensive resources will remain in the region until the last outage is repaired.

Barnett added, “I want to extend my gratitude to the many police, fire, public works, municipal officials, and other volunteers who continue to support our customers and our communities during the post-storm recovery. I also want to thank our customers for their patience as our employees work to restore their service.”

Dry Ice and Bottled Water Locations

National Grid will distribute dry ice and bottled water at targeted locations hit hardest by the storm. Customers are asked to bring a cooler or paper grocery bags to transport dry ice to their homes, and company personnel will provide information about its proper handling.

Dry Ice Distribution Sites — Central New York

All locations open January 11, 2024 from 1 to 5 p.m.

            Additional distribution sites and times may be announced depending on community needs. New sites will be listed on National Grid’s Outage Map, on the company’s X (formerly known as Twitter) and Facebook accounts, and announced to media via press releases.

The Restoration Process

The company’s first priority is to ensure the safety of our customers and our crews by clearing away dangers such as live, downed power lines. Next comes repairs to main transmission facilities, including towers, poles and high-tension wires that deliver power to thousands of customers. Recovery work at local substations also is a high priority, followed by repairs to

neighborhood circuits, transformers and service wires. Click here for a video on how National Grid restores power after a storm.

Estimated Restoration Times

• In the early stages of a storm, the restoration times on National Grid’s Outage Central site may be listed as “assessing conditions.” This is because debris such as trees, tree limbs, and downed wires, must be cleared away so that damage to our equipment can be assessed and restoration plans can be executed. 

• It's normal for outage numbers and Estimated Restoration Times to fluctuate as we de-energize lines to make conditions safe for repairs. Additionally, there could be new outages that occur if strong, damaging winds and heavy snowfall continues.
• Outage Central Reminder: Our Outage Central page shows the estimated time of restoration for communities and reflects the estimated time for the last customer in that community to have power restored. The most accurate way for customers to check on the power restoration estimate for their specific address is to log into our Report or Check Outage page.

The company also encourages customers to keep safety a priority with the following reminders:

Electricity & Generator Safety

• If a power outage occurs, customers can notify National Grid online to expedite restoration.

• Generators used to supply power during an outage must be operated outdoors to prevent the buildup of deadly carbon monoxide. Before operating a generator, be sure to disconnect from National Grid’s system by shutting off the main breaker, located in the electric service panel. Failure to do this could endanger our crews and your neighbors.
• Customers who depend on electrically powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should register as a life support customer by calling National Grid at 1-800-642-4272. In a medical emergency, always dial 911.
• Keep working flashlights and an extra supply of batteries in your home and be sure to charge all electronic devices.
• Please use caution when driving near emergency responders and crews restoring power.
• Be sure to check on elderly family members, neighbors and others who may need assistance during an outage.

Safety Near Downed Power Lines

• Always use extreme caution near downed power lines and wires, and always assume that they are carrying live electricity.

• Never touch a person or an object that is in contact with a downed line, as electricity can pass through to you.
• Take caution when approaching fallen trees, which could have power lines caught in them.
• Remember that water can conduct electricity. If you see a line down in a puddle or flooded area, avoid contact with the water to prevent risk of shock.
• Click here for more downed power line safety tips.

Stay Informed and Connected

• Customers with active electricity accounts who text ‘REG’ to 64743 can have personalized alerts sent to them via text, email or phone call when we detect an outage on their properties.
• Customers also can text ‘OUT’ to 64743 to report an outage.
• For real-time power outage information, online outage reporting, and in-depth storm safety information, visit National Grid’s Outage Central website. Customers who create an online profile also can sign up for email alerts.

• Customers can read the latest company news, check outage status and report an outage by using the National Grid app.
• Visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com, follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) and friend us on Facebook.
• Click here for details on the company’s storm preparation and restoration process.  

About National Grid

National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York and Massachusetts. National Grid is focused on building a smarter, stronger, cleaner energy future — transforming our networks with more reliable and resilient energy solutions to meet state climate goals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.