National Grid Prepares For Possible Major Snow Storm Headed For New England

Southern New England could be hit with a major winter storm this weekend and National Grid is prepared to respond to any power interruptions that might occur. Weather forecasts are still tentative, but conditions appear favorable for the development of an off-shore storm that could dump as much as six or more inches of snow on parts of the region beginning on Saturday evening.
“We’ve been monitoring this storm since the beginning of the week,” said Dan Bunszell, vice president of New England Electric Operations for National Grid. “Our people are ready and outside contractor crews will be available if needed.”

Current forecasts call for snow to develop over Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts Saturday evening with deepest accumulations expected in those areas. The snow could spread northward into Massachusetts where lesser amounts are anticipated before the storm ends on Sunday. Moderate snow, high wind gusts and coastal flooding are forecasted, creating conditions that could bring scattered service outages. National Grid is continuously monitoring the progress of the storm and has hundreds of company and contractor crews at the ready in the event they are needed. Those resources will be concentrated in areas where the storm is expected to have its greatest impact.
The company also has been in communication with state and local emergency management officials and has issued an advisory to customers who are on life support and registered with the company that a storm is imminent and outages may occur.
The company is also advising customers to be prepared:
It’s a good idea to have a number of working flashlights, at least one battery-operated radio and an extra supply of batteries in your home. National Grid offers the following tips for customers to minimize inconvenience and maximize safety in the event that storm-related power interruptions do occur.
The company offers the following tips for customers to minimize inconvenience and maximize safety in the event that storm-related power interruptions occur.
National Grid customers who experience an outage should call 1-800-465-1212 to expedite restoration.
Never touch downed power lines, and always assume that any fallen lines are live electricity 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 electricity-powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should let National Grid know. To register as a life support customer, call the company’s New England Customer Service Center at 1-800-322-3223.
Check on elderly family members, neighbors and others who may need assistance during an outage period.
Electricity & generator safety
If you use a generator to supply power during an outage, be sure to operate it outdoors. Before operating a generator, 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.
Remember, 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.
Gas safety
The buildup of ice and snow around or over gas meters and vents for natural gas appliances could pose a serious safety risk. Ice and snow falling from a roof can damage gas meters or service connections to customers’ homes or businesses, resulting in a gas leak.
Ice and snow blocking vents could cause CO to back up into a building and result in carbon monoxide poisoning for those inside.
To avoid these dangers, National Grid advises natural gas customers to closely inspect areas around and over gas meters, service hook-ups and vents for ice and snow that could damage equipment or prevent CO from properly venting.
National Grid advises that you take immediate action anytime 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 number: Greater Boston area: 1-800-233-5325; All other areas: 1-800-548-8000 or call 911.
Stay Out
– Do not return to your home until National Grid tells you it is safe.
Stay Connected to National Grid
National Grid provides multiple channels for customers to learn about service issues and interruptions during storms. Customers can follow the storm on their mobile devices by using the National Grid mobile app or texting the word STORM to NGRID (64743). The company provides real time outage information on its Outage Central web site at nationalgridus.com/OutageCentral. National Grid also provides storm and restoration updates through Facebook and Twitter.
About National Grid
National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE: NGG) is an electricity and natural gas delivery company that connects nearly 7 million customers to vital energy sources through its networks in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the Northeast. National Grid also operates the systems that deliver gas and electricity across Great Britain.
Through its U.S. Connect21 strategy, National Grid is transforming its electricity and natural gas networks to support the 21st century digital economy with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions. Connect21 is vital to our communities’ long-term economic and environmental health and aligns with regulatory initiatives in New York (REV: Reforming the Energy Vision) and Massachusetts (Grid Modernization).
For more information please visit our website, or our Connecting website, follow us on Twitter, watch us on YouTube, friend us on Facebook, find our photos on Instagram