December 12, 2008
With its service area largely spared by the ice damage from today’s storm, NSTAR is making preparations to assist other New England utilities in their efforts to restore power to hundreds-of-thousands of electric customers affected elsewhere in the region.
“NSTAR workers are no strangers to helping our neighbors in need,” said Tom May, NSTAR Chairman, President and CEO. “We’re prepared to assist with the devastation to our north and west just as soon as we’ve completed our restoration work locally.”
As of 2 p.m. Friday, there are less than 1,500 NSTAR customers without power scattered across central and eastern Massachusetts. It’s expected that power will be restored to all customers directly affected by the storm by the end of the day. NSTAR crews will then travel to other parts of the state and up to New Hampshire beginning early Saturday morning. Once in place they’ll be prepared to help their fellow lineworkers for as long as needed and may be joined, if necessary, by additional NSTAR crews.
In recent years, NSTAR lineworkers have helped to rebuild entire electric systems after hurricanes ripped through Florida, Alabama and Pennsylvania. Earlier this year, crews traveled to Maine to repair damage caused by a severe winter storm.
NSTAR reminds customers to avoid downed power lines and to report them or power outages in NSTAR’s service area by calling 800-592-2000. More safety tips are available online.
NSTAR is the largest Massachusetts-based, investor-owned electric and gas utility. The company transmits and delivers electricity and natural gas to 1.4 million customers in Eastern and Central Massachusetts, including more than one million electric customers in 81 communities and 300,000 gas customers in 51 communities.
