National Grid: Crews making ‘significant progress’ in restoring power

November 1, 2017 10:27 U.S. 5 Views

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Utility crews are out working to restore power to communities around Southern New England after a storm Sunday night into Monday left tens of thousands of residents and businesses without electricity.

At last check, our Power Outage Database showed a fewer than 50,000 National Grid customers without power in Rhode Island and approximately 51,000 in Mbadachusetts, along with a number of Eversource outages in Bristol County, Mbad.

As a result, many schools in the area were forced to close again on Tuesday due to the power outages. The city of Providence said all of its schools will be open on Wednesday as power has been restored to each of the buildings.

In a statement Monday afternoon, National Grid said it could take multiple days to restore power everywhere “due to extensive tree damage and branches coming down on power lines.”

On Tuesday, National Grid Rhode Island President and COO Tim Horan said crews have made “significant progress over the past 24 hours” and that 60 percent of customers are now back in service. In that time they were strictly focused on public safety, targeting hospitals, schools, shelters and any live wires that came down.

Horan said he’s confident major cities and towns will be back online by Tuesday afternoon and rural areas will be finished by Thursday.

National Grid has received approximately 2,900 total calls for wires down over the past 24 hours, according to Horan. If you lose power, you can contact National Grid at 800-465-1212 or Eversource at 800-592-2000.

If you depend on electric-powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, please let us know and register at 1-800-322-3223.

— National Grid US (@nationalgridus) October 30, 2017

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Despite the power outages and storm damage, trick-or-treating will go on as planned for many communities, though officials ask that families and drivers be very careful, especially in neighborhoods without power.

As for the conditions, the Pinpoint Weather Team says it will be clear and cool with diminishing winds and temperatures dropping from the mid-50’s to the mid-40’s.

A Frost Advisory has been issued for the entire area Tuesday night, with temperatures expected to fall into the 30’s after midnight.

Have photos or videos of the storm and its impacts? Send them to us via ReportIt! and the best will be used on air and online.

Power banks to charge phones and other devices will be available at the Warwick Public Library located at 600 Sandy Lane until 9 p.m.

Severe Storm Photos: Oct. 30, 2017

National Grid: Crews making ‘significant progress’ in restoring power

A mess of branches and wires on E Scenic View Drive in Johnston (Submitted via ReportIt!)

Sailboat washes ashore in Bristol (Submitted via ReportIt! by Miles Conlin)

The storm created quite the mess on this patio in Lincoln (Submitted via ReportIt! by Gabriella Caprio)

This clump of trees split apart and fell in different directions in Coventry. (Submitted via ReportIt! Healther Blalock)

Utility poles leaning over in Narragansett (Submitted via ReportIt! by Ed Given)

Boat out of the water at Brewer Cowesett Marina North in Warwick (Submitted via ReportIt! by Erin Oliver)

Narragansett Avenue E in South Kingstown (Submitted via ReportIt! by Kerri Hayes)

Fallen branch smashes a back windshield in North Providence (Submitted via ReportIt! by Lisha Saleem)

Tree comes slamming down into a home on Ash Street in Warwick (Submitted via ReportIt!)

Tree limb Crushes Car in Fairhaven (Submitted via ReportIt! by Cory Mitchell)

Tree uprooted in Providence (Submitted via ReportIt! by Rob Pollock)

Downed tree catches fire in Putnam, Conn. (Submitted via ReportIt! by Anne-Marie Bora)

Downed trees completely blocking Morning Dove Drive in Westport (Submitted by Ben Costa)

Cab of truck crushed by fallen tree in Dartmouth (Submitted via ReportIt! by Steve Ouellette)

Branches bring down power lines on Crestview Drive in Scituate (Photo: Mike Montecalvo/WPRI-TV)

Hope Street (Route 114) in Bristol.

Tree down across Hope Street in Bristol (Photo: Tim White/WPRI-TV)

Tree down on King Phillip Road in Pawtucket (Submitted by viewer)

Tree crushes car on Chapin Avenue in Warwick (Submitted by viewer)

Crossland Road in West Warwick (Photo: Steve Nielsen/WPRI-TV)

Submitted by Arianna Boucher.

Submitted by Arianna Boucher of Smithfield. Her trampoline blew onto her car overnight.

New Meadow Road in Barrington (Photo: Eric Halperin/WPRI-TV)

Tree down in Barrington (Photo: Eric Halperin/WPRI-TV)

The outages led to many street lights being down, including here on Eddy Street in Providence. (Photo: Caroline Goggin/WPRI-TV)

Tree down across Laurel Lane in Warren (Submitted via ReportIt! by Lee Marshall)

Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo and Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian head out to survey the damage. (Photo: Rosie Woods/WPRI-TV)

Tree down in Barrington (Photo: Eric Halperin/WPRI-TV)

Tyndall Street in Providence (Photo: Jesus Mendoza)

Cutting up a tree that came down on Yale Road in Coventry (Photo: Steve Nielsen/WPRI-TV)

Tree takes down power lines in Coventry (Photo: Steve Nielsen/WPRI-TV)

The Corner of Church Street and Brookwood Road in Warwick.

Woodward Avenue in Seekonk.

Submitted by Chris Bergin.

Vernon Street in Warwick.

Downed pole in Warwick.

Kenwood Drive in Warwick.

Submitted by Bill Toomey.

Severe Storm Photos: Oct. 30, 2017

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