WALTHAM, MA – National Grid has over 750 field personnel responding to power outages caused by downed limbs, trees, and poles, the aftermath of damaging winds that moved across Massachusetts Friday and will continue throughout Saturday.

Wind gusts in some areas topped 60 mph, causing damage to power lines as limbs, trees and poles were impacted from the powerful winds. Most areas in Massachusetts will continue to experience elevated winds Saturday, with the strongest gusts forecast for Central and Western regions.

“Our crews are deployed across Massachusetts and will work around the clock to repair and restore the power systems until every customer has their electricity back,” said Shaun Vacher, Vice President of Electric Operations, New England. “Losing your power at any time is frustrating, and we’re working hard to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.”

Field personnel in Massachusetts are responding to emergency 911 and wires down calls, assessing damage, clearing trees, and repairing electrical infrastructure where conditions are safe.

National Grid has restored power to more than 20,000 customers in Massachusetts since high winds swept through the state. Restoration work is continuing as conditions are deemed safe. 

As of 10:30 a.m., approximately 1,600 customers in Massachusetts were without power, concentrated in Middlesex and Essex counties. National Grid always urges customers to stay safe and provides several ways to stay connected and up to date on the latest safety and restoration information. The company continues to monitor the weather and communicate with local officials, first responders, and life support customers.

Customers can track outages and restoration times at Outage Central. It’s normal for outage numbers and restoration times to fluctuate due to various issues, including work volume, the cause of the outage, and additional information about the extent of the damage. 

The company offers the following tips and reminders:  

Customers Should Stay Connected:  

• Report power outages at www.nationalgridus.com or call 1-800-465-1212.
• 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 and estimated restoration times at www.nationalgridus.com/outage-central
• To stay connected during storms and outages, text to 64743 using any of the below commands.
• REG to sign up for text alerts
• OUT to report an outage
• SUM followed by your town, county, or state to get a summary of outages in your area
• HELP for the complete list of commands 
  
  

 Stay 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 excellent 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.

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. 

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 gas emergency numbers:
• New England:1-800-640-1595
• Stay Out - Do not return to your home until National Grid tells you it is safe.

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. 

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.