National Grid’s eastern New York field force of more than 1,200 workers has restored power to nearly 110,000 of the more than 145,000 customers impacted by the severe ice, snow and wind storm that lingered over the region beginning Friday morning. Crews have been working around the clock removing downed power lines, uprooted trees and toppled utility poles and restoring service as quickly and safely as possible. Among the hardest hit areas are Saratoga, Warren, Essex, Hamilton and Washington counties. The company’s extensive resources will remain in the region until the last outage is repaired.

“This was an extremely damaging storm,” said Keith McAfee, National Grid’s Vice President of Electric Operations. “We appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding as our intensive restoration work continues. We also are grateful for 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.”  

Estimated Restoration Times

       National Grid is providing the following regional estimated restoration times. 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.

• Albany, Troy, Hudson, Cobleskill, Gloversville – Any remaining storm-related outages in these areas will be restored by midnight tonight.
• Northville, Schenectady – The majority of impacted customers will have power restored by midnight tonight, with remaining customers in the hardest-hit areas restored by midnight Sunday.
• Saratoga, Middle Falls, Glens Falls, Warrensburg, Ticonderoga – These regions experienced the most extensive storm damage. Crews are in the field restoring service hour by hour and many customers in these areas will have service restored by midnight tonight, with the remaining customers in the hardest-hit communities seeing power restored by midnight Sunday.

     National Grid is offering customers dry ice and bottled water today from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Corinth Fire Department, 16 Saratoga Ave. Corinth, N.Y. Company personnel will provide information on the proper handling of dry ice, and customers are asked to bring a small cooler or shopping bag to transport their dry ice home.

     The dry ice location and a list of warming sites and shelters also can be found on National Grid’s Outage Central map

 The Restoration Process

After a storm, our first priority is to ensure the safety of our customers and our crews by clearing away dangers such as live, downed power lines. Next, based on an overall damage assessment, we predict an estimated time of restoration for large areas of our service territory. We continue to refine those ETRs as we learn more about region-specific damage caused by the storm.

• 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 as the damaging weather 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 an Outage page.

As restoration work continues, National Grid offers the following safety tips:

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 before the storm.
• 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.

Use Caution When Addressing Ice and Snow Buildup 

National Grid reminds home and building owners to be especially cautious as they work to clear snow and ice by following these safety recommendations:

• Clear snow and ice from gas meters and regulators by gently using a snow brush or broom.  Never kick, hit or use sharp objects to remove snow and ice.  If a meter and/or regulator is encased in solid ice, call National Grid at 1-800-642-4272.
• Ensure vents for natural gas appliances are clear of snow and ice. Covered or clogged vents can lead to the build-up of poisonous carbon monoxide. Customers who detect an odor of natural gas or suspect carbon monoxide is present in their home, should go outside immediately and breathe deeply. If CO poisoning symptoms, such as headaches or drowsiness, are severe, call 911 immediately.
• Customers experiencing gas odors or electricity emergencies should immediately call National Grid’s emergency number: 1-800-867-5222. 
• Keep all ladders, shovels, roof rakes and other devices well clear of any lines coming from the street to the structure.
• Start clearing snow from the opposite end of the roof from the service point where electricity is delivered.   
• If you are unsure of how to go about clearing snow and ice, or if your roof is particularly steep, contact a qualified roofing contractor.
• As snow is removed from the roof, be aware of what is below that could become buried as snow hits the ground.  Be especially mindful of the location of your electricity and gas meters, as they could be damaged by falling snow and ice.
• Snow removal equipment operators should be aware of the location of electricity and natural gas equipment and avoid coming in contact with meters or piling snow around vents and other equipment mounted on the outside of buildings.                                                   

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.
• Visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com, follow us on Twitter and friend us on Facebook.

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