National Grid has deployed more than 2,300 line, tree, damage, and public safety specialists to assess damage, clean up debris and restore power to customers as a result of the ongoing windstorm that struck Upstate New York beginning Thursday evening. Crews have faced numerous hazardous conditions including challenging terrain, impassable roads and volatile weather.

As of 3 p.m. on Friday, National Grid has restored service to more than 54,000 of the nearly 66,000 customers affected by the storm. Many areas of Upstate New York have been impacted by wind gusts exceeding 50 mph -- including a 76 mph gust in Lake Placid – resulting in fallen trees, snapped tree limbs, broken utility poles, and downed power lines.

National Grid crews from across New York were positioned in advance of the storm and have been supplemented with resources from utilities in Connecticut, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania to expand the company’s response.

“Our crews are in the field working around the clock to repair damage and bring our systems back online,” said Kyle Bentley, National Grid Vice President of New York Electric Operations. “Our top priority is the safety of our crews and the public we serve. We ask our customers to please drive slowly and cautiously when approaching utility crews at work and to abide by road closures or restrictions due to the damaged equipment.”

The Restoration Process

It's normal for outage numbers and estimated restoration times to fluctuate as we de-energize lines to make conditions safe for repairs. Additionally, there could be new outages that occur if strong winds continue or other weather hazards emerge.

The company’s first priority is to ensure the safety of our customers and our crews by clearing away dangers such as live, downed power lines. Next comes repairs to main transmission facilities, including towers, poles, and high-tension wires that deliver power to thousands of customers. Recovery work at local substations is also is a high priority, followed by repairs to neighborhood circuits, transformers, and service wires. Watch the video on how National Grid restores power after a storm.

Electricity & Generator Safety

• If a power outage occurs, customers can notify National Grid online to expedite restoration.

• 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.
• Stay tuned to local news outlets or the National Weather Service for storm updates, weather alerts
• Keep working flashlights and an extra supply of batteries in your home and be sure to charge all electronic devices.
• If the power is out, use flashlights or other battery-powered lights. Do not use candles, which can pose a fire hazard.
• 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.

Safety Near Downed Power Lines

As always Customers are reminded to be aware of potential safety hazards such as damaged trees, particularly broken limbs that haven’t yet fallen to the ground.

• Always use extreme caution near downed power lines and wires, and always assume that they are carrying live electricity.

• Never touch a person or an object that is in contact with a downed line, as electricity can pass through to you.
• Take caution when approaching fallen trees, which could have power lines caught in them.
• Remember that water can conduct electricity. If you see a line down in a puddle or flooded area, avoid contact with the water to prevent risk of shock.

Learn more about downed power line safety at our website.

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.
• 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 Outage page.

• Customers can read check outage status, report an outage and see the latest storm-related news releases from the company by using the updated National Grid app, free to download from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
• Visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com, follow us on X and like us on Facebook.

Learn more on the company’s storm preparation and restoration process.

About National Grid

National Grid (NYSE: NGG) delivers electricity and natural gas to more than 20 million people across New York and Massachusetts. We’re committed to meeting our customers’ energy needs and supporting economic growth across the regions we serve—providing safe, reliable energy today and building the resilient networks of the future. National Grid Ventures, our commercial business, develops and operates infrastructure that delivers affordable and reliable energy to consumers. National Grid Partners, our corporate investment and innovation arm, invests in and collaborates with technology companies that are transforming the energy sector and accelerating industry-wide innovation.