National Grid is asking customers in the Fayetteville, Manlius, Pompey and Jamesville areas of eastern Onondaga County to reduce unnecessary electricity usage through noon Wednesday. The request is made as a precaution while crews continue to make repairs to a local substation after equipment failure caused an outage for approximately 9,500 area customers. The company has successfully restored service to more than 6,000 customers and will continue to work through this evening and into tomorrow to make repairs at the substation. Due to the extensive damage, some customers in the region may not have power restored until tomorrow afternoon.

The company recommends a few simple customer actions to help reduce demand on utility equipment and maintain system reliability. These small actions, combined with those of your neighbors, can make a big difference.

• During daylight hours, draw blinds, shades, drapes to prevent the sun from making your home too hot.
• Slightly increase air conditioner settings – Lower air conditioner temperatures require more energy and are costlier to operate. Set the thermostat as high as comfort will permit.
• Turn off your pool pump – Pool pumps are one of the largest consumers of household energy—second only to the air conditioning unit.

• Use oscillating fans, which consume less energy than air conditioners.
• Delay the use of hot water appliances like dish washers and washing machines.

• Turn off lights when they are not needed.
• Unplug electronics – Even though your electronics, like televisions and computers, are turned off they may still draw electricity. Unplug any unnecessary electronics and chargers. In addition, using an advanced power strip on your entertainment system will reduce “phantom load” energy consumption and can save you up to $60 annually.
  
  Click here for more energy savings and bill management tips or visit our Connected Solutions page.

 Heat Stress and Power Outage Tips 

• National Grid also reminds customers that prolonged temperatures of 90°F or higher can lead to heat-related illnesses, especially for the elderly, young children and those with chronic illnesses.  More information on heat stress can be found here. 
• If you are currently experiencing an outage, National Grid advises customers to try to leave the refrigerator and freezer doors closed to keep the contents inside cool.
• 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.

The company also provides customers with the following safety reminders:

Electricity & Generator Safety

• 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.

Stay informed and connected:

• Customers can receive personalized alerts by text, email, and/or phone when an outage is detected at their property by enrolling in the company’s outage alert option. To register, text REG to 64743, enter your National Grid electricity account number and select your preferred method(s) of notification. 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.

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