National Grid Prepared for Winter Storm Elliott
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MELVILLE / BROOKLYN, N.Y. – With Winter Storm Elliott approaching New York with heavy rain, plummeting temperatures and wind chills as low as 20 below zero, National Grid is prepared to provide its 1.9 million customers in New York City and Long Island with the energy needed to keep families warm and businesses running during even the coldest days of the holiday storm.
“We’ve taken steps to make sure we’re ready to keep our customers warm and safe during Winter Storm Elliott and we encourage our customers to be prepared as well,” said Tim Graham, Vice President Gas Field Operations, National Grid.
To ensure continued safe and reliable operations of the energy networks the company has taken steps to respond quickly and safely if needed and prepare the system for winter operations:
- Continue to monitor and track the storm
- Ensure adequate staffing to perform flood patrols if needed
- Coordinate with emergency management officials
- Conducted winter operations system testing
- Called on commercial and industrial customers participating in the company’s Non-Firm Demand Response Program to use an alternate fuel in order to ensure adequate supplies to heat customers’ homes during the fierce cold temperatures expected for the weekend
Customer Safety
The winter storm is expected to bring heavy rain and snow. Customers should be prepared:
- Make sure you have a storm emergency kit
- If you experience flooding, contact a plumbing or heating contractor to make sure your appliances are safe to operate
- In the event of a gas emergency or if you smell gas call 911 or National Grid’s 24-hour emergency numbers: for Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island at 718-643-4050; for Long Island and the Rockaway Peninsula at 1-800-490-0045
- When temperatures drop and snow begins to fall, it’s important to be aware of safety precautions to help keep you and your family safe
Customer Savings Solutions and Bill Help
While National Grid has sufficient natural gas supplies for this winter, conserving energy is more important than ever. Customers can help lower the demand on the system and save on their energy bills. Since early September, National Grid has been actively promoting bill management programs and solutions through its Winter Customer Savings Initiative to ensure customers have time to take advantage of all available services and tools that can help them save money on winter energy bills. The service is available in Spanish and Chinese and multi-language translation is available on the company’s website.
Customers experiencing difficulty affording their energy bills are encouraged to contact National Grid as soon as possible. The company’s resources include flexible payment programs; extensive residential and business energy efficiency programs and incentives; and low-cost/no-cost bill management solutions. In addition, as part of a $6 million donation to further support heating assistance, the company recently launched two new programs -- Hope & Warmth Energy Fund and Hearts Fighting Hunger emergency food assistance. These programs help families who are experiencing financial hardships, but just miss qualifying for the federally-funded Home Energy Assistance Program. These are households living on the edge of financial insecurity with an income that is above the federal poverty level, but below the basic cost of living.
Also, National Grid Consumer Advocates are available to work directly with customers in need to help manage their energy bills. Advocates specialize in assisting income-eligible and vulnerable customers with available programs and services offered by National Grid and local agency partners.
- For New York Metro call 718-643-4050 or ConsumerAdvocacyNYC@nationalgrid.com.
- For Long Island:1-800-930-5003 or ConsumerAdvocacyLI@nationalgrid.com.
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