National Grid’s field force of more than 3,200 workers continues to battle challenging weather conditions as they restore power to customers impacted by the destructive Upstate New York winter storm that began Wednesday. Crews are focusing on public safety as they remove downed wires, trees, tree limbs, broken poles and other hazards, all while facing heavy snow, gusty winds, and impassable roads.

As of 11 a.m., the company has restored service to 140,000 of the more than 180,500 customers impacted by the storm, which brought wind gusts of more than 70 mph and caused extensive, widespread damage to the company’s electric delivery system. National Grid’s hardest hit areas include Essex, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Warren counties in Eastern New York, and Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, and Oswego counties in Central New York.

Restoration crews have been challenged by impassable roads and difficult-to-reach equipment repairs in remote areas of Central, Northern and Eastern New York, as well as heavy snowfall and gusty winds, which have created whiteout conditions in some areas. Heavy snow, strong winds and icy road conditions are expected to continue through the evening hours, presenting further challenges for restoration efforts.

“This storm has been damaging to our electric system,” said Kyle Bentley, National Grid’s Lead Director of New York Electric Operations. “We’re seeing hundreds of cases of downed wires in addition to broken poles and uprooted trees on our power lines. Cleanup, reconstruction and restoration has been and will continue to be labor-intensive and time consuming, and our crews will continue to be out there in full force to bring service back to customers as quickly and safely as possible.”

National Grid’s field force includes resources from Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Indiana to support restoration.

Detailed damage assessments are ongoing in parallel with repairs so that updated restoration times may be provided for Central, Northern and Eastern New York.  

In Western New York, where the storm was less severe, customers are expected to have power restored by 11:30 p.m. Thursday. Isolated and scattered single-customer outages in the hardest-to-access areas could potentially extend into Friday.

Crews will continue to work around the clock to restore power as quickly and safely as possible in the challenging conditions. 

National Grid is working closely with local officials to coordinate restoration efforts. Customers are reminded to be aware of potential safety hazards such as damaged trees, particularly broken limbs that haven’t yet fallen to the ground. As always, all downed wires should  be considered live and dangerous and should immediately be reported to National Grid at 1-800-867-5222 or by calling 911. Learn more about downed power line safety at our website.

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.

Dry Ice and Bottled Water Locations for Eastern New York

National Grid will distribute dry ice and bottled water today from 4-6 p.m. at the Fulton County Office of Emergency Management, 231 N. Perry St., Johnstown. 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 the proper handling of dry ice.

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 come repairs to the facilities that serve the largest number of customers such as main transmission facilities, followed by recovery work at local substations and repairs to neighborhood circuits, transformers and service wires. Click here for an infographic on the company’s restoration process.

Estimated Restoration Times

• In the early stages of storm cleanup, 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 infrastructure damage can be assessed and restoration plans can be executed. 
• It's normal for outage numbers and ETRs to fluctuate. The numbers can go up and down as we de-energize lines to make conditions safe for repairs. Additionally, there could be new outages that occur that are separate from the storm-related outages. 
• Once restoration is completed, National Grid crews will remain in the field for a number of days as storm cleanup continues. The company urges drivers to use extreme caution as they approach work areas, to ensure the safety of utility and other storm-response personnel.
• 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 an Outage page.
• Any customer who remains without power when their neighbors have been restored should call us at 1-800-867-5222.

Electricity & Generator Safety

• If a power outage occurs, customers can notify National Grid online to expedite restoration.
• Never touch downed power lines; always assume they are carrying live electricity. Downed lines should be immediately reported to National Grid at 1-800-867-5222 or by calling 911.
• 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 a number of working flashlights and an extra supply of batteries in your home and be sure to charge all electronic devices.
• Please drive carefully and use caution when driving near any crews working to restore power.
• Be sure to check on elderly family members, neighbors and others who may need assistance during an outage.

Stay informed and connected

• For real-time power outage information, online outage reporting, and in-depth storm safety information, visit National Grid’s Outage Central website.
• Customers are encouraged to make sure that National Grid has their correct addresses and phone numbers on file. Customers who create online profiles also can register for email alerts.
• To receive text message alerts and updates from National Grid, text the word STORM to NGRID (64743). Online and text alert services can be started and stopped at the customer’s request.
• Visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com, follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) and like us on Facebook.

Click here for a video on how National Grid restores power after a major storm.

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.