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National Grid has crews in place to deal with winter weather in coming days

By Press Release

Press release:

With another winter storm heading our way, National Grid has increased staffing and is extending evening and overnight work shifts in preparation for snow, sleet, ice and potential high winds across portions of upstate New York Wednesday and Thursday. In addition, the company has activated its comprehensive emergency response plan, including:

  • Securing external resources and mobilizing line, tree, service, damage assessment, and public safety workers.
  • Pre-staging crews and materials in areas anticipated to be most severely impacted.
  • Proactively reaching out to elected, municipal and emergency management officials to keep them updated on our preparations and provide safety information.
  • Reaching out directly to customers through traditional and social media, email and texts and on our website to provide safety information and to urge them to be prepared.
  • Conducting outbound calls to life support and critical facility customers to ensure they are prepared.

In anticipation of the storm, the company is encouraging customers to keep safety a priority with the following reminders:

Electricity & Generator Safety 

  • If a power outage occurs, customers can notify National Grid online to expedite restoration.
  • Never touch downed power lines; always assume they are carrying live electricity. Downed lines should be immediately reported to National Grid at 1-800-867-5222 or by calling 911. Click here for more information on downed power line safety.
  • 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. 
  • Keep working flashlights and an extra supply of batteries in your home and be sure to charge all electronic devices before the storm. 
  • 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. 
  • Find more powerline safety information here.

Click here for details on how National Grid prepares for storms.

Photo courtesy National Grid.

National Grid prepares for potential holiday storm, offers safety advice

By Joanne Beck

Press Release:

National Grid has increased its upstate New York field force to more than 2,800 line, service, tree, damage assessment and public safety workers in preparation for a major storm forecasted to begin Thursday afternoon and continue into the holiday weekend.

Forecasts for Genesee, Erie, Niagara and Orleans counties include a blizzad warning from 7 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Sunday. Estimates call for total snow accumulations of one to three feet, and winds gusting as high as 70 mph Friday and Friday night.

A rapid switch from rain to snow with sharply falling temperatures into the teens and single digits will result in a flash freeze on Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Blizzard conditions will develop Friday afternoon lasting into Saturday night.

The storm is expected to bring a wintry mix of rain, sleet and snow, along with plummeting temperatures, ice buildup and extremely damaging winds, a National Grid press release states.

In addition to ensuring all National Grid field- and office-based employees are available for this storm, the company has secured external resources, including hundreds of contractor crews, some coming from as far away as Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas and Canada. The company also has activated its comprehensive emergency response plan, which includes:

• Securing external resources and pre-staging crews and materials in areas anticipated to be
most severely impacted.
• Initiating patrols to monitor our gas system for any impact from potential flooding.
• Proactively reaching out to elected, municipal and emergency management officials to keep them updated on our preparations and provide safety information.
• Reaching out directly to customers through traditional and social media, email and texts and on our website to provide safety information and to encourage them to be prepared.
• Conducting outbound calls to life support and critical facility customers to ensure they are prepared.

“Heading into the holiday weekend, our line workers, field teams, support staff and contractor crews have made the commitment to be away from their families if they’re needed to restore service to our customers,” said Brian Gemmell, National Grid’s Chief Operating Officer for New York Electric. “We know that there is never a convenient time to endure a storm, especially during the holidays, and our crews are at the ready if the weather impacts our energy delivery system.”

Gemmell said the company will continue to closely monitor weather forecasts and he encourages customers to keep safety a priority with the following reminders:

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.
• Keep working flashlights and an extra supply of batteries in your home and be sure to
charge all electronic devices before the storm.
• 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
• Stay away from downed power lines and wires; use caution if one is nearby, 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.
• Customers can read the latest company news, check outage status and report an outage by using the National Grid app.
• Visit our website, follow us on Twitter and friend us on Facebook.
• Click here for details on the company’s storm preparation and restoration process.

Driver in Law Street accident still at large with residents in area suffering damage from power surge

By Howard B. Owens

The driver behind the wheel of a minivan that struck a utility pole Wednesday afternoon on Law Street, causing a significant power surge in the area, has not been located yet.

Sgt. Mitch Cowen said Thursday morning that police are pretty confident they know who the driver was, that he's not from the area and that the vehicle was not stolen.

Cowen said police are looking for him in order to question him about the accident.

Witnesses saw the man running from the accident and provided a description to police.  A K-9 was deployed shortly after the accident in an attempt to find his trail, but that effort failed to find the driver.

At least 287 homes in the area of Chestnut Street, South Jackson, and to both the north and south of those streets, lost power.  The power surge caused electric meters on the outside of dozens of homes to blow out, with some of those houses displaying visible black char marks around the meters. 

National Grid crews worked through Thanksgiving morning restoring power.  The pole and main power line to the area were in working order by 10 or 11 p.m. on Wednesday night after crews worked to restore power to each house one at a time.  The meters on all 287 homes were replaced.  For residents who were not home last night, crews returned Thursday morning to locate them and complete the work (power at the breaker box needed to be turned off before the meter was replaced).

"When high voltage lines are negatively impacted, as they were last night, it can create an unsafe condition for residences," said David Bertola, a spokesman for National Grid. "The pulling, checking and replacing of electric meters is a standard safety procedure that our crews perform under circumstances such as these."

A worker last night recommended residents check all surge protectors. He said residents would know right away if the surge protector was blown.  If they were off before power was restored, when turned back on, if blown, they will spark and smoke. If already plugged in, they may no longer work.  Some may work but should have a light to indicate they no longer provide surge protection.

Each surge protector is rated differently. Some surge protectors can handle larger bursts of energy but can never exceed their rated capacity, and the capacity is cumulative. As HowToGeek.com notes, if a surge protector is rated for 1,000 joules of energy and it gets one joule at a time over a period of time, it will need to be replaced after 1,000 incidents.  If a highly rated surge protector takes a major power surge, it may still function but it may also be near the end of its life span.

Replacing all surge protectors after a major power event is often recommended by experts.

The Batavian spoke to an electrician today who recommended checking all appliances.  Anything receiving an active electrical current at the time of Wednesday's surge could be toast, or close to it.

At least one resident in the area is without heat after the power surge damaged the circuitry of the forced air heater.

A National Grid crew member advised residents who suffered an economic loss as a result of the power surge to file a claim with National Grid.

Bertola said customers with claims can email National Grid at ClaimsDept@nationalgrid.com or by calling (315) 428-6536.

A law enforcement source said that typically, National Grid attempts to recover damages from the driver's insurance company -- and it appears this driver was insured -- when an accident damages a utility pole.

The damages, in this case, could include the pole and all of the subsequent residential repair work and any damages sustained by residents.


Photos by Howard Owens.

A brighter Batavia on the horizon

By Joanne Beck

Batavia wants to buy back some lights from National Grid.

No small order, the purchase totals more than $226,000. The move will allow city public works crews to perform their own, more immediate, maintenance and repair of all lights throughout the city, City Manager Rachael Tabelski says.

“We do have a great working relationship (with National Grid). I think their ability to service the lights as quickly as they go out, sometimes it's difficult. They do their best to keep the lights up to date and to replace them, but there's definitely advantages to moving to the LED lights; we will have less outages,” Tabelski said during an interview with The Batavian. “And when we do have an outage, we'll be able to take care of them in house right in the city.”

Phase I to replace all regular lights with LEDs has begun, with a goal to have all LED lights in the city within the next six months, she said. This plan is to save on energy consumption, maintenance and expense while improving the overall quality of light that’s emitted.

According to the city’s presentation materials, LED (light-emitting diode) type lights are directional, which reduces light “trespass” onto adjacent properties and dark spots between street lights. They are also said to have a “higher color rendering index,” which allows the human eye to detect colors better, improving drivers’ ability to see pedestrians or other potential hazards.

City Council President Eugene Jankowski liked the idea when presented earlier this week at a council meeting.

“So they’ll be brighter, less costly, and we’ll have more control over them,” he said.

Council is expected to vote on the purchase of 948 lights for $226,038 at its July 11 meeting. A letter will also be sent to National Grid requesting the buyback, followed by a purchase and sales agreement to be approved by the Public Service Commission, Tabelski said.

Once the PSC approves, National Grid and the city of Batavia will close on the streetlight sale. At that point, the city will own and maintain its own lights, and will continue to pay National Grid for electric and delivery, but not for operations and maintenance costs.

The entire LED conversion program is to cost an estimated $1.7 million, to be paid for through long-term financing and the yearly cost savings of more energy efficient LEDs, Tabelski said.

Photo: Traditional streetlights, on the left, cast an orange glow, versus the whiter LED lights on the right. Photo part of the City of Batavia LED Street Light Conversion program.

Two power outages reported in Alexander

By Howard B. Owens

There are two power outages reported by National Grid in Alexander, one affecting 372 customers and the other 907.

About half of the Village of Alexander is without power and that outage area stretches down Route 98 to Attica Central School, also north to Hunn Road and east almost to West Bethany/Molasses Hill Road.

The outage affecting 907 customers is along much of Route 238 and also covers a substantial portion of Wyoming County.

Nearly all of the National Grid service area in Wyoming County (a panhandle down the middle of the county) is without power.

The power outages in Alexander started at 2:54 p.m. and are expected to be resolved by 5 p.m.

Power outage reported in the central part of Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

A power outage affecting 1,548 National Grid customers is reported in the central part of the City of Batavia.

It was first reported at 11:43 p.m.

National Grid expects to restore power by 1:45 a.m.

The outage is approximately from Tops on the west side, along West Main to Ellicott Street at Swan Street, north nearly East Avenue, cutting diagonally toward the State School for the Blind to nearly the Thruway.  It takes in both sides of Oak Street from Main to the Thruway.

UPDATE 12:36 p.m.: There are now fewer than 700 customers without power.  Power appears to have been restored to customers south of Main Street.

Most NG customers who lost power back on grid

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

National Grid crews have restored power to 212,000, or 97%, of the nearly 221,000 upstate New York customers impacted by the severe windstorm that caused significant and widespread damage across the region over the weekend. The storm brought gusts of up to 80 mph in some regions and left behind hundreds of broken utility poles, damaged transformers, toppled trees, tree limbs and downed wires.

“While we have made steady progress, there is still work to be done and our expanded field force will continue to work around the clock to ensure every customer’s service is restored as safely and quickly as possible,” said Matt Barnett, National Grid’s Vice President of New York Electric Operations. He noted that the remaining outages are in regions that experienced the most extensive storm damage, including Erie, Genesee, Monroe, Orleans and Niagara counties in western New York, and Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties in northern New York.

“Our crews are in these regions continuing the hand-to-hand combat of cleanup, reconstruction and restoration. We understand the inconvenience of being without power and will continue to restore service hour by hour.”

The company is providing the following regional estimated times of restoration for customers who remain without service after the weekend storm. Power is being consistently restored to customers in these regions and ETRs are updated on the company’s Outage Central site. Additionally, customers can check on the power restoration estimate for their specific address by logging into our Report or Check an Outage page.

Northern New York: 95% of storm-related outages have been restored. Remaining single customer outages and isolated pockets of customers in the most severely impacted areas will be restored through the overnight hours and into Tuesday.

Western New York

  • Southwest Region, including Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties: Any

    remaining storm-related outages will be restored by midnight tonight.

  • Frontier Region, including Erie and Niagara counties: Restoration is expected to be

    complete by midnight tonight, with single customer outages and isolated pockets of customers in the most severely impacted areas being restored through the overnight hours and into Tuesday.

Genesee Region, including Genesee, Orleans and Monroe counties: This region experienced the most extensive storm damage. Crews are in the field restoring service hour by hour and 95% of customers in these areas will have service restored by 5 p.m. Tuesday, with the remaining customers in the hardest-hit communities seeing power restored through Tuesday evening.

Customers who remain without power when their neighbors have been restored are encouraged to call National Grid at 1-800-867-5222.

Once restoration has been completed, National Grid crews will remain in the field for the days that follow to complete storm cleanup. The company reminds motorists to use caution as they approach work areas, to ensure the safety of utility and other storm-response personnel.

National Grid continues to work on restoring power in region

By Press Release

Press release:

National Grid’s upstate New York field force of more than 3,400 workers has restored power to nearly 180,000 of the approximately 215,000 customers impacted by the powerful windstorm that swept across the region Saturday through this morning. The storm, which included gusts of up to 80 mph in some areas, brought significant and widespread damage to the company’s electricity delivery system, leaving behind at least 225 broken utility poles, 100 damaged transformers, and hundreds of toppled trees, tree limbs, and downed wires.

Among the hardest hit were areas along the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, including Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Monroe, Oswego, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Crews have been working around the clock since the storm began to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

The company is providing the following general estimated times of restoration for customers who remain without service. Power is being consistently restored to customers in these regions and ETRs are updated on the company’s Outage Central site. Additionally, customers can check on the power restoration estimate for their specific address by logging into our Report or Check an Outage page.

  • Eastern New York: Restoration will be complete tonight by 11:30 p.m.
  • Central New York, including the North Country: Restoration will be complete for 90% of the affected customers by 6 p.m. Monday.
  • Western New York: Restoration will be complete for 90% of affected customers by 11:30 p.m. Monday. The company’s extensive resources, which include support from National Grid New England crews as well as crews from North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, and Ontario, will remain in the region until the last outage is repaired.

“This storm has been extremely damaging to our electricity system,” said Matt Barnett, Vice President of New York Electric Operations. “We understand the inconvenience of being without power and our crews will continue to be out there in full force bringing service back to customers as quickly as possible.”

Photos: Dry Ice and water distribution at City Fire

By Howard B. Owens


National Grid and City Fire are teaming up today during the area's widespread power outages to distribute dry ice and bottled water to residents without power.

The distribution location is at City Fire headquarters on Evans Street.

National Grid prepared for heavy winds, encourages resident safety during storm

By Press Release

Press release:

For the second consecutive weekend, National Grid has increased staffing, extended evening and overnight work shifts, and is closely monitoring weather forecasts that include wind gusts of up to 70 mph and heavy rainfall across portions of upstate New York today into Sunday. Areas along the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario are expected to experience the strongest wind gusts. More than 2,500 lines, service, tree, damage assessment, and public safety workers are ready to respond to damage that may occur.

To prepare for the storm, the company activated its comprehensive emergency response plan, including:

  • Calling in outside resources and mobilizing field and tree crews.
  • Pre-staging crews and materials in areas anticipated to be most severely impacted.
  • Proactively reaching out to elected, municipal and emergency management officials to keep them updated on our preparations and provide safety information.
  • Reaching out directly to customers through traditional and social media, email and texts and on our website to provide safety information and to urge them to be prepared.
  • Conducting outbound calls to life support and critical facility customers to ensure they are prepared.
    In addition, on Sunday, Dec. 12, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., the company will distribute dry ice and bottled water at targeted locations expected to be hardest hit by the storm.

Company personnel will provide information about proper handling of dry ice, and customers are asked to bring a bag or cooler to transport it.
Western New York Dry Ice and Bottled Water Locations:

  • City of Batavia Fire Dept. 18 Evans St. Batavia, N.Y. 14020

The company also is encouraging customers to keep safety a priority with the following reminders:

Electricity & Generator Safety

  • If a power outage occurs, customers can notify National Grid online to expedite restoration.
  • Never touch downed power lines; always assume they are carrying live electricity. Downed lines should be immediately reported to National Grid at 1-800-867-5222 or by calling 911.
  • 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.
  • Keep working flashlights and an extra supply of batteries in your home and be sure to charge all electronic devices before the storm.
  • 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. Click here for details on the company’s storm preparation and restoration process.

National Grid warns area customers of ongoing billing scams

By Press Release

Press release:

National Grid customers and local law enforcement are reporting utility billing and payment scams across upstate New York. The company is asking its customers to beware and know the signs of a scam.

Imposters claiming to be from National Grid may tell customers that they have past due balances on their utility bills, even promising a savings on their next bill. Customers who reported the scams, say they were contacted by telephone and email, and in some cases automated recordings.

The scammers threaten that service will be shut off immediately unless the customer purchases a prepaid debit card in a specific amount, such as a Green Dot card, and provides the caller with the card’s account number, or in the case of business customers, by way of a Western Union money transfer. Imposters also may ask for a Social Security number and a National Grid account number. These calls are not officially from National Grid and instead are from scammers who are looking to obtain personal information and payments.

The scenario can change, but the goal of the scammer remains the same: scare customers into making hasty decisions that often include large payments.

National Grid does contact customers with past due balances by phone to offer payment options, but never demands direct payment through the use of a prepaid debit card and never accepts payment through these cards.

Scammers have become increasingly sophisticated in replicating National Grid’s recorded messaging and directions for phone prompts, even spoofing the phone number on caller ID, making it more difficult to differentiate an actual National Grid call from an imposter’s call. Similar scams have been reported across the U.S. by other utilities.

Customers who believe they have fallen victim to the scam should contact local law enforcement officials immediately. If you are provided a phone number that does not match numbers on the billing statements, it is likely that the call is a scam.

National Grid reminds customers to know the red flags and offers the following tips:

  • Be vigilant. If you believe you are current on your National Grid account, it is highly likely a call seeking payment is a scam.

  • Protect yourself. Verify you are speaking with a National Grid representative. Ask the caller to provide the last five digits of your National Grid account number. If the caller doesn’t know your account number and phishes for help, take charge and hang up immediately.

  • Do not take the bait. Scammers will not have access to your account information, social security number or other personal details and you should never offer that information if asked. National Grid representatives will know your account number.

  • Scammers also may contact you by email and attempt to lure customers into clicking on a link, visiting a malicious website, revealing account information, or calling a phone number.

  • While National Grid may ask for a payment to be made over the phone, the payment method will be left to the customer’s discretion.

  • Do not fall for scare tactics and threats. National Grid will not contact customers demanding immediate payment by wire transfer, Green Dot Money-Pak or any other prepaid card service.

  • Do not cave to pressure. Never -- under any circumstances -- offer personal or financial information to someone who you cannot identify.

  • Every National Grid employee carries a photo ID card, and contractors working for the company are also required to carry ID. If someone requesting entry into your home or business does not show an ID card, don’t let that person in, and call National Grid or local law enforcement.

    To learn more about protecting you and your loved ones from scams, please visit ngrid.com/scam.

National Grid girding for gale force winds tomorrow

By Press Release

Press release:

In anticipation of gale-force winds that could exceed 60 mph beginning Friday morning in Western New York, National Grid is increasing staffing to include 1,300 line, service, tree, damage assessment and public safety workers.

The bolstered field force includes external resources and will be deployed across the region as necessary if the anticipated wind event disrupts electricity service to customers. The company will continue to closely monitor the weather forecast and has activated its comprehensive emergency response plan, which includes:

  • Securing extra resources and mobilizing field and tree crews.

  • Pre-staging crews and materials in areas anticipated to be most severely impacted.

  • Proactively reaching out to elected, municipal and emergency management officials to keep them updated on our preparations and provide safety information.

  • Reaching out directly to customers through traditional and social media, email and texts, and on our website to provide safety information and to urge them to be prepared.

  • Conducting outbound calls to life support and critical facility customers to ensure that they are prepared.

In anticipation of the adverse weather, National Grid also provides customers with the following safety reminders:

Electricity & Generator Safety

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

  • Never touch downed power lines; always assume they are carrying live electricity. Downed lines should immediately be reported to National Grid at 1-800-867-5222 or by calling 9-1-1.

  • Generators used to supply power during an outage must be operated outdoors to prevent the buildup of deadly carbon monoxideBefore operating a generator, be sure todisconnect from National Grid’s system by shutting off the main breaker, located in theelectric 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 9-1-1.)

  • Keep working flashlights and an extra supply of batteries in your home and be sure to charge all electronic devices before the storm.

  • 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.

Stay Informed and Connected

  • Customers with active electricity accounts who text "REG" to 64743 can receive personalized alerts via text, email or phone call when we detect an outage on their premises. 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.

  • Visit our website: http://www.nationalgridus.com

National Grid girds for powerful winter storm forecast to start today

By Press Release

Press release:

National Grid is preparing for a potentially powerful winter storm that is forecasted to impact much of Upstate New York beginning today. To prepare, the company has increased its statewide staffing to include 1,900 line, service, tree, damage assessment and public safety workers.

The bolstered field force includes external resources and will be deployed as necessary, as high winds, rain and heavy snow are forecasted through Saturday for several counties in Western and Central New York, including communities east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. In Eastern New York forecasts call for wind, heavy rain and the possibility of isolated flooding.

National Grid will continue to closely monitor the weather, and has activated its comprehensive emergency response plan, including:

  • Calling in extra resources, and mobilizing field and tree crews.

  • Prestaging crews and materials in areas anticipated to be most severely impacted.

  • Proactively reaching out to elected, municipal and emergency management officials to keep them updated on our preparations and provide safety information.

  • Reaching out directly to customers through traditional and social media, email and texts and on our website to provide safety information and to urge them to be prepared.

  • Conducting outbound calls to life support and critical facility customers to ensure they are prepared.

In anticipation of the storm, the company is encouraging customers to keep safety a priority with the following reminders:

Electricity & Generator Safety

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

  • Never touch downed power lines; always assume they are carrying live electricity. Downed lines should be immediately reported to National Grid at 1-800-867-5222 or by calling 9-1-1.

    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 9-1-1.

  • Keep working flashlights and an extra supply of batteries in your home and be sure to charge all electronic devices before the storm.

  • 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.

Use Caution When Addressing Ice and Snow Buildup

National Grid reminds home and building owners to be especially cautious as they work to clear snow and ice by following these safety recommendations:

  • Gas customers should clear snow and ice from gas meters and regulators by gently using a snow brush or broom. Never kick, hit or use sharp objects to remove snow and ice. If a meter and/or regulator is encased in solid ice, call National Grid at 1-800-642-4272.

  • Gas customers should ensure vents for natural gas appliances are clear of snow and ice. Covered or clogged vents can lead to the build-up of poisonous carbon monoxide.

  • Customers who detect an odor of natural gas or suspect carbon monoxide is present in their home, should go outside immediately and breathe deeply. If CO poisoning symptoms, such as headaches or drowsiness, are severe, immediately call 9-1-1.

  • Customers experiencing gas odors or electricity emergencies should immediately callNational Grid’s emergency number: 1-800-867-5222.

  • Keep all ladders, shovels, roof rakes and other devices well clear of any service lines coming from the street to the structure.

  • Start clearing snow from the opposite end of the roof from the service point where electricity is delivered.

  • If you are unsure of how to go about clearing snow and ice, or if your roof is particularly steep, contact a qualified roofing contractor.

  • As snow is removed from the roof, be aware of what is below that could become buried as snow hits the ground. Be especially mindful of the location of your electricity and gas meters, as they could be damaged by falling snow and ice.

  • Snow removal equipment operators should also be aware of the presence of electricity and natural gas equipment and avoid coming in contact with meters or piling snow around vents and other equipment mounted on the outside of buildings.

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.

  • Visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com, follow us on Twitter and friend us on Facebook.

National Grid alerts customers of scam: imposters promising refunds or discounts, asking for personal info

By Press Release

Press release:

With the holidays in full swing and the COVID-19 pandemic causing financial stress on many individuals, National Grid is alerting customers about recent reports of scams where imposters are promising refunds or discounts.

Here’s how scammers are trying to prey on customers:

  • Customers may notice their caller ID displays an incoming call is from a phone number in a nearby town or even the neighborhood where they live.

  • When customers answer the phone, a recorded message explains that due to being overbilled, they are owed refunds or discounts on their utility bills.

  • The customer is instructed to press "1" to learn more about the refund or discount.

  • The customer is transferred to a someone who explains that the customer is eligible for a refund or discount.

  • The customer is then asked for personal information, which may include their utility bill account number.

  • The scammer also may ask for the customer’s bank account number or other personal or financial information. Divulging this level of information can lead to identity theft or customers having their bank accounts accessed.

    Scammers have become increasingly sophisticated in replicating National Grid’s recorded messaging and directions for phone prompts, making it more difficult to differentiate an actual National Grid phone call from an imposter’s call. Similar scams have been reported across the United States by other utilities.

    Customers who have fallen victim to the scam should immediately contact National Grid by using the toll-free telephone numbers listed on their billing statements. The company wants to protect customers and offers the following warning signs to detect this recent scam:

  • Do not cave to pressure. Never – under any circumstances – offer personal or financial information to someone who you cannot identify.

  • Scammers will not have access to your account information, and you should never provide that information if you are asked.

  • National Grid representatives who call you will know your account number.

  • Verify that you are speaking with a National Grid representative. Ask the caller to provide the last five digits of your National Grid account number.

  • If the caller does not know your account number, hang up the phone.

To learn more about protecting yourself and your family from scams, visit ngrid.com/scam

Power outage reported in Byron, South Byron and Bergen

By Howard B. Owens

More than 1,000 customers of National Grid are without power in the Byron, South Byron, and Bergen areas.

Power went out at about 4 p.m.

It's the only significant power outage in Genesee County but there are also three large outages reported just to the east in Monroe and Livingston counties.

We don't have information on what may have caused the outages.

National Grid estimates completing reports in Genesee County by 6 p.m.

UPDATE 4:34 p.m.: As soon as this was posted, the National Grid site shows that power has been restored to this area.

National Grid working on 'labor-intensive cleanup and restoration efforts' after Sunday's windstorm

By Press Release

Press release:

More than 1,400 National Grid line, tree and service workers in Western New York are focused on public safety and are making steady progress in removing downed wires, trees, tree limbs, broken poles and other hazards and restoring power after a severe windstorm swept across the region on Sunday.

Crews will continue to work around the clock on the labor-intensive cleanup and restoration efforts.

As of 11 a.m. fewer than 9,000 customers remain without service, primarily in the hardest hit areas, including portions of Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties. The storm, with wind gusts of more than 65 mph, impacted 51,000 customers.

A spokesman for National Grid said in Genesee County there remains one customer outage Oakfield, one in Pavilion, one Stafford, and 15 in Attica, 18 total.  

Crews will continue their work in high winds and challenging conditions throughout the day to restore service to customers as quickly and safely as possible.

National Grid is distributing bottled water and dry ice to impacted customers today at the following locations:

  • Dunkirk Training Grounds, 665 Brigham Road, Dunkirk from 1 to  6 p.m.
  • JFK Recreation Center, 114 Hickory St., Buffalo from now until 6 p.m.

The company had initially planned a distribution location in Batavia. But since the number of impacted customers in that area is lower than anticipated, it was decided to concentrate the dry ice and bottled water distribution efforts in the two other areas, to help customers who need it the most.

“Storm damage across Western New York includes uprooted trees, broken poles anddowned power lines,” said Matt Barnett, National Grid’s vice president of New York Electric Operations.

“In addition to performing critical public safety activities, our crews are assessing damage to our system and equipment so that we can refine our restoration estimates and restore power as quickly and safely as possible.”

National Grid files proposal for up to $50 million in COVID-19 relief for qualifying Upstate customers

By Press Release

Press release:

SYRACUSE -- National Grid today filed a customer assistance proposal with its New York regulator that would provide up to $50 million in financial assistance to support its most economically vulnerable residential customers as well as businesses that are struggling because of the pandemic’sfinancial impact.

The company sought input from the New York State Department of Public Service staff, customer advocates and other stakeholders to design the programs and determine how best to allocate the assistance to those most in need.

“Six months into the pandemic, the economic recovery remains relatively flat and unemployment rates are increasing sharply in the COVID-19 recession," said John Bruckner, National Grid’s New York president. "National Grid’s relief package offers an important opportunity to provide our customers with financial assistance to lessen their hardship beyond what we currently offer through our existing COVID-19 programs and services.”

Bruckner noted that funding for the programs will be targeted to customers who are in arrears and/or unable to pay their energy bills due to financial hardship stemming from the pandemic.

“By redeploying existing customer funds to programs carefully designed to address identified economic hardships, we believe our proposed programs will help with the financial difficulties currently being experienced by our customers,” he said.

  • Programs Offer Additional Support for Economically Vulnerable Residential Customers

    National Grid’s proposal includes up to $25 million in funding for two new programs forresidential customers enrolled in the company’s Energy Assistance Program. Participants in the EAP are among the company’s most vulnerable customers, facing financial hardships that could require them to choose between paying their energy bills and other necessities. The company believes that bill credits are the best tool for providing immediate assistance to help these customers manage their energy costs.
    Program Highlights:

    Enhanced Economic Development Programs

    For National Grid’s business customers, the company’s proposal includes up to $25 million for a new arrears forgiveness plan and two enhanced economic development grant programs.
     

  • Program Highlights:

    1. Under the proposal, EAP customers would receive an immediate, one-time bill credit on both the gas and electricity portions of their bills.

    2. Customers enrolled in EAP who also have a Deferred Payment Agreement will receive up to 12 monthly arrears incentive payments if they honor that agreement, which requires paying their current bill and a monthly installment toward their past due balance.

    3. If there are any funds remaining in this program after 12 months, the balance will be shared as a final one-time bill credit for all EAP customers.

    4. Upon implementation, distressed business customers who enroll in a Deferred Payment Agreement under the program’s guidelines, will receive a bill credit on a portion of their arrears if they are current on their DPA.

    5. These customers may receive a second bill credit on a portion of their arrears upon completion of their DPA.

    6. A new COVID-19 Recovery Assistance Grant Program that offers grants to large commercial and industrial customers for eligible recovery-related expenses, including personal protective equipment, environmental health and safety measures, interest expenses associated with pandemic-related loans, and machinery and equipment costs.

    7. Further enhancing the existing Manufacturing Productivity Program so that qualifying small- and medium-sized business can apply for funds to support COVID-19 recovery and future resiliency, including business continuity planning, enterprise risk management, and support for employee/environmental health and safety. The funding would remain available through August or until program funding is depleted.

    8. Bruckner noted that while New York State and the federal government have taken measures to assist residents and businesses during this unprecedented time, the duration of the pandemic is unknown, and the impacts are difficult to predict. “We believe that additional assistance is necessary for our customers. Our proposal is a way for us to provide crucial near-term relief,” he said.

      Continuing Customer Commitment

      National Grid remains focused on providing solutions to customers who are suffering from thepandemic’s financial and personal impacts. Some of the immediate actions the company took at the onset of the pandemic to help customers include:

      • Donating nearly $1 million across New York to support hunger relief, human services agencies and others.

      • Pausing residential disconnections and fees, late payment charges and collections-related activities and offering flexible payment plans.

      • Launching extensive customer outreach through emails, letters, traditional and digital media, webinars, and calls to provide information on managing energy bills, offer flexiblepayment and billing options, and provide details on financial assistance and energy savings programs. We encourage customers who are struggling to pay their bills to contactus as soon as possible so that we can help.

      • Offering the expertise of our Consumer Advocates to provide crisis intervention support for customers, working closely with county Social Services and community assistance organizations.

      • Providing enhanced economic development support to New York businesses producing critical pandemic supplies.

        Additional details on National Grid’s pandemic preparedness, associated actions and a customer Q&A can be found at ngrid.com/covid-19.

      • Key Highlights

      • Up to $25 million for low income customers enrolled in the Energy Assistance Program with immediate bill credits and up to 12 monthly arrears incentive payments.

      • Up to $20 million in arrears incentive payments for business customers.

      • Up to $5 million for new COVID-19 recovery assistance grants for commercial, industrial and small business customers.

National Grid proposes up to $50 million in COVID-19 relief to support customers, businesses that need it most

By Billie Owens

Press release:

National Grid is proposing up to $50 million in COVID-19 relief to support the company’s most economically vulnerable residential customers as well as businesses that are struggling because of the financial impact of the pandemic.

The company will work with New York Public Service Commission staff, customer advocates and other stakeholders to determine how best to allocate the assistance to those most in need across its upstate New York service area.

“From the onset of this pandemic we made the commitment to help our customers during these challenging times and we recognize that we have an important opportunity to provide additional customer assistance beyond what we currently offer through our COVID-19 programs and rate plans,” said John Bruckner, National Grid’s New York president.

He noted that the company will use deferral account credits to provide immediate COVID-19 financial assistance and will work with PSC staff and other parties to determine eligibility and program details. There also will be an opportunity for public input during the PSC comment period as the programs are being defined.

The company’s plan to provide additional customer assistance will be filed separately from its request to reset delivery rates beginning in July 2021 so that the customer financial support could be considered and implemented more quickly than the required 11-month rate proceeding process.

“We know our customers continue to struggle during this pandemic and this is a way for us to provide some near-term relief,” Bruckner said.

Enhanced Customer Support Programs Included in the 2021 Rate Filing

National Grid’s current three-year rate agreement expires March 31, 2021 and the company has submitted a request for new delivery prices beginning in July 2021. The new rates would cover the costs of providing service to upstate New York customers and includes enhanced energy affordability programs and services, continued deployment of economic development programs that grow the economy, and unprecedented investment in energy efficiency and demand response programs to help customers manage their energy usage and bills.

Under the proposal, residential electricity customers would see an average bill increase of 4 percent or $3.43 per month. Residential gas customers would see an average bill increase of 6 percent or $4.53 per month. The company originally planned to file a request for new rates in April but delayed that filing until July 31 due to COVID-19.

“We made the decision to delay this proposal so that we could use the time over the last few months to refine and reduce the amount of our request,” Bruckner said. “We worked hard to strike a balance between what is needed in the near term to maintain and improve reliability and further support our customers, and we postponed other initiatives to later years to lessen the financial impact on customers.”

While National Grid has filed a one-year plan, Bruckner noted the company hopes to work with PSC staff, customer advocates and other stakeholders to reach a multi-year agreement that would phase in new rates to further mitigate customer bill impacts. Reaching a settlement that spreads the increase over three years and includes deferral credits and other offsets, for example, could reduce the first-year delivery price impacts by more than half.

“We know we are not operating in a business-as-usual climate,” Bruckner said. “We will doeverything we can to work with PSC staff and other stakeholders to reach a multi-year settlement thatmaintains affordability, mitigates bill impacts and supports New York’s economic recovery. At thesame time, we need to adjust rates to cover the costs of providing service and we must remain financially healthy to attract the necessary capital to finance our operations, which will lower costs forcustomers in the long run.”

The company’s filing would impact only energy delivery prices. There are two components of an energy bill: delivery charges and supply charges. Delivery charges reflect the ongoing cost of operating and maintaining the natural gas and electricity networks – including investments to ensure a resilient grid in the face of more frequent and damaging storms and the integration of clean energy resources. Supply prices are set by the market, not National Grid, and the company does not profit from the sale of energy supply. Customers also have the option to buy their energy supply from a third-party provider.

Under New York public service law, rate cases are an 11-month process that will include a number of opportunities for public input.

National Grid’s upstate New York electricity business serves 1.6 million customers in more than 450 cities and towns across 24,000 square miles. The gas distribution business serves more than 600,000 customers across portions of Central, Northern and Eastern New York.

National Grid warns of phone scam of imposters demanding bill payment, threatening disconnection

By Billie Owens

Press release:

National Grid is warning Western New York customers to beware of a new phone scam where imposters are demanding immediate bill payment and threatening service disconnection.

This latest scam, which is targeting customers already facing hardships due to COVID-19, involves callers who pretend to be National Grid representatives.

They tell customers that unless payment is made within 30 minutes, their power will be shut off. The customer is then directed to call “the direct billing department to make a payment and avoid power disconnection.”

The scammers use sophisticated phone systems that display National Grid on the customer’s caller ID.

Additionally, the phone number customers are instructed to call closely resembles the company’s recorded messaging and phone prompt directions. These elements make it difficult to differentiate an actual National Grid call from an imposter’s call.

When in doubt, customers should hang up and call the National Grid customer service number on their bill.

National Grid reminds customers that on March 13, the company temporarily suspended collections-related activities, including service disconnections, to lessen any financial hardship brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company continues to encourage customers struggling to pay their bills to take advantage of bill payment options or to call to speak with one of our Consumer Advocates.

Additional Tips to Protect Against Scams

National Grid urges customers to be cautious of scammers and offers the following tips:

  • National Grid representatives will know your account number; never offer that information to a caller.

  • Ask the caller to provide the last five digits of your National Grid account number. If thecaller doesn’t know your account number, asks questions about your account balance and associated details, or if you have any doubt the caller is a National Grid representative, please take charge and immediately hang up. Call National Grid or local law enforcement officials to report the incident.

  • National Grid will not contact customers demanding immediate payment by wire transfer, Green Dot Money-Pak or any other prepaid card service.

  • Never -- under any circumstances -- offer personal or financial information to someone who you cannot identify.

  • For more information on scams, click here.

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