Monday Storm Could Knock Out Power to 30% of Rhode Islanders, Says National Grid

Monday Storm Could Knock Out Power to 30% of Rhode Islanders, Says National Grid

National Grid is warning that it is preparing for a powerful storm headed towards New England on Monday. 

The storm is forecasted to bring heavy rain, strong sustained winds, and high gusts across Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

The most severe weather is expected to begin after 8:00 a.m. on Monday and continue through most of the day with winds beginning to subside after 8:00 p.m.       

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According to National Grid, "current forecasts indicate that weather conditions could cause damage to the electrical system, with possible outages for many in the region. National Grid considers this a Type 3 event.  For Rhode Island, that means almost 30 percent of its customers could be impacted for 72 hours once it’s safe for restoration to begin.  For Massachusetts, a Type 3 event means approximately 10 percent of its customers could be impacted for 72 hours."

National Grid has been monitoring the potential weather conditions for several days.  National Grid claims it has been moving additional resources into the area to support potential restoration needs and collaborating with local and state agencies to ensure that it’s prepared for the storm and its aftermath.

As part of its preparations, more than 200 external line crews have been secured to assist National Grid’s 200 internal line crews in the region.  200 forestry crews will also be ready to assist in the restoration efforts once conditions are safe to do so. Storm room operations and staging sites will be opened up in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 

“National Grid has been closely tracking this storm for several days to ensure we have the appropriate plan in place for the forecast,” said Michael McCallan, Vice President of New England Electric Operations. “We know the nation and our customers are already experiencing an incredibly challenging situation with the coronavirus pandemic and we have been doing everything we can to keep the power going during these circumstances. That being said, if the weather throws a punch, we know it’s more important than ever that we ensure the safety of our customers and employees, and be ready to address the potential outages that may occur.”

        

We are updating our customers: 

Report power outages at www.nationalgridus.com or call 1-800-465-1212.
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