National Grid Begins Preparations in Anticipation of Hurricane Earl Arrival Later This Week

Company Offers Storm Tips To Customers

SEPTEMBER 1, 2010 (09/01/2010)(readMedia)-- National Grid is monitoring weather forecasts and preparing for the potential effects of Hurricane Earl, which is expected to reach New England later this week.

Several computer projections indicate the storm will follow a path along the east coast, but the exact track remains in question. If the storm passes close to New England, it could bring high winds, tidal surges and heavy rain that could potentially cause power outages in the region.

In anticipation of a potentially severe storm, the company has developed early response plans in the event of power outages, including the movement of crews to the most severely impacted areas if needed. Further, National Grid will be conducting outreach to state, regional and local officials to inform them of advance plans.

"Based on the forecasts we've seen so far, we have begun to hold daily calls for updates and planning," said Chris Root, National Grid senior vice president of Operations. "This will allow us to get an early start if we have customers out of service while avoiding the hazards of having to move large numbers of people in what might be treacherous conditions."

National Grid advises its customers to be prepared. Severe winds and rain can cause local electrical service interruptions. It's a good idea to have a number of working flashlights, an extra supply of batteries and at least one battery-operated radio available, as National Grid provides news media with timely information regarding service restoration efforts.

Also, post National Grid's emergency outage reporting number-1-800-465-1212-near your telephone so it will be handy if needed. Outage information is also available at our website at www.nationalgridus.com. At the site, go to your state and click on the "outage central" icon.

National Grid offers the following tips for customers to minimize inconvenience and maximize safety in the event that storm-related power interruptions do occur.

  • 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.

  • If you use a generator to supply power during an outage, be sure to only operate it outdoors. Before operating generators, 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 jeopardize the safety of crews working to restore power.

  • 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.

  • 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 National Grid life support customer, call the company's Customer Service Center at 1-800-322-3223.

Time-Tested Plan Restores Power Quickly

When a power outage occurs in your neighborhood, it may in fact be affecting thousands of customers. Whose electricity is restored first?

National Grid emergency crews follow a time-tested plan to begin restoring service as safely and quickly as conditions allow. Accurate damage surveys, resource assessments and restoration estimates are critical in the preliminary stages of any major weather event. Credible and consistent communication with local public officials and the media is maintained throughout the duration of the restoration effort.

First, our crews clear away hazards such as live, downed lines. The clean-up of storm-damaged trees and branches removed from our electric facilities remains the responsibility of the customer or property owner, whether private or municipal.

Next come repairs to main transmission facilities, including towers, poles and high-tension wires that deliver power from generating plants.

Recovery work at local substations is also a high priority, because power flows from transmission lines through substations on its way to you.

Circuits and transformers in neighborhoods and the wires that connect them to your home come next-starting with areas that involve the most customers.

While waiting for your power to return, please know that we're doing everything we can to restore electric service as quickly as possible.

National Grid is an international energy delivery company. In the U.S., National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. National Grid also owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers.

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