National Grid Returns Power to nearly 63,000 Massachusetts Customers, Focuses on Hardest Hit Areas
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WALTHAM, MA – National Grid has restored power to the vast majority of Massachusetts customers affected by the storm that tore through large sections of the Merrimack Valley on Friday. The company is continuing its focus on the most difficult outages – areas in which restoration efforts are hindered by accessibility issues or significant damage that will require extensive reconstruction work.
As of 7 a.m., National Grid has restored service to nearly 63,000 Massachusetts customers who lost power as a result of a severe thunderstorm’s wind and rain. Most of the remaining 16,000 customers without power are in Andover, North Andover, Chelmsford, and Lawrence, the hardest hit cities and towns in the state. Service should be restored for most of those remaining customers today.
“Our crews have been working around the clock since Friday afternoon, and we will remain on the job as long as it takes to restore service to every customer,” said Tim Moore, Vice President for Electric Operations for New England. “We understand, however, that success is measured by each customer having service and we will not slow down until that has been accomplished.”
Utility crews confronted hundreds of fallen trees and tree limbs that broke poles and brought down power lines throughout the Merrimack Valley. Some of the affected infrastructure included sub-transmission lines that deliver power to thousands through regional substations.
Power is being consistently restored to customers and National Grid continues to refine estimated restoration times. Estimated restoration times are updated on the company’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.
More than 250 overhead line, forestry, wires down, substation and damage assessment crews are assigned to the Massachusetts restoration effort. The crews, from as far away as New York and Canada, are supported by hundreds of additional National Grid employees working on logistics, materials and other key functions that facilitate restoring service as quickly and safely as conditions permit.
On Sunday, additional thunderstorms and wind gusts are expected. As a 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.
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:1-800-233-5325
- Stay Out - Do not return to your home until National Grid tells you it is safe.
Heat Safety:
- Know the signs of heat-related illness. Heavy sweating, muscle cramps, and a fast pulse aren’t just signs of being warm. They are symptoms of heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Know the signs and pay extra attention to children, seniors, and other vulnerable groups when the temperature and humidity rise.
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.
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