National Grid is preparing for a winter storm to potentially impact Massachusetts Thursday night through early Saturday morning, bringing a wintry mix of snow and rain along with strong winds into the region.
The primary concerns associated with this storm are accumulations of wet heavy snow and gusting winds expected to impact Western and Central Massachusetts, counties including the Berkshires, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden, as well as high winds and rain expected to impact Eastern Massachusetts, Nantucket, and coastal regions of Massachusetts. The wind gusts and accumulation of heavy snow have the potential to damage trees and knock down power wires, causing power outages across the region. The storm is expected to depart by Saturday afternoon, and calmer weather is anticipated for Sunday.
“National Grid is monitoring the forecasts closely and we have crews and personnel in place across Massachusetts ready to respond as quickly and safely as we can,” said Tanya Moniz-Witten, Vice President of New England Electric Operations.
National Grid is preparing for this storm by securing more than 300 field-based crews and about 1,000 personnel as part of the company’s our emergency response operations. This includes overhead line, forestry, contractors, underground, damage assessment, wires down, transmission, and substation workers.
The company has been preparing for the storm for several days, and is continuing to monitor the weather, communicating with local officials, first responders, and life support customers.
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. News Release
National Grid Prepares for Winter Storm to Impact Massachusetts
Customers should stay connected for 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.
o REG to sign up for text alerts
o OUT to report an outage
o SUM followed by your town, county, or state to get a summary of outages in your area
o HELP for the full 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 especially good 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 period.
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:1-800-640-1595
• Stay Out – Do not return to your home until National Grid tells you it is safe.
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.
About National Grid 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 path to a more affordable, reliable clean energy future through our fossil-free vision. National Grid is transforming our electricity and natural gas networks with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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