National Grid: 8K still without power after storm

TUESDAY MORNING'S storm knocked down trees all over the region, blocking streets, including here on Warwick Neck Ave. in Warwick in front of the Aldrich Mansion. / PBN FILE PHOTO/ROGER C. BERGENHEIM
TUESDAY MORNING'S storm knocked down trees all over the region, blocking streets, including here on Warwick Neck Ave. in Warwick in front of the Aldrich Mansion. / PBN FILE PHOTO/ROGER C. BERGENHEIM

(Updated 12:58 p.m. and 1:33 p.m.)
PROVIDENCE – Approximately 8,000 National Grid customers remain without power two days after a violent thunderstorm tore through Rhode Island.

According to the utility’s power outage map, most of the outages are in Kent County, where 5,700 customers are without power. Electricity there is expected to be restored by midnight Friday.
Warwick continues to have the most outages at 4,600.
Washington County still has approximately 1,400 National Grid customers without power, with the most in Westerly at 408. Providence County has 1,200 without power, and Bristol County, 35. Power is expected to be restored in the remaining areas by late Thursday night.
National Grid said wind gusts as high as 80 miles per hour, accompanied by intense lightning and torrential rains, brought down many large trees and tree limbs that blocked roads, damaged buildings and ripped down power lines throughout the state early Tuesday morning.
“We know it’s very frustrating to be without power for three days and we continue to work as quickly and safely as possible to complete the restoration,” said Timothy F. Horan, president, National Grid, Rhode Island. “I continue to be amazed at the devastation wrought across our state by these storms. It’s worse than any other storm in recent memory. I’m grateful to our customers for their considerable patience and understanding and to the many state and local officials who have worked hand-in-hand with us throughout the restoration effort.”
National Grid said more than 300 line crews, 110 tree crews and 90 wires down/”cut-and-clear” crews are blanketing affected areas, including crews from eight northeast states and Quebec. National Grid’s New England Customer Service Center has handled more than 73,000 storm-related customer calls.

Crews have been working around the clock since Tuesday morning, but have faced significant challenges because hundreds of large trees that came down during the storms have blocked many roads and caused extensive damage to the electric system, the utility said.

Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian and Paul Salera, president/CEO of WestBay Community Action, said that the agency’s WestBay Marketplace, a food pantry, has emergency food supplies available for residents without power following Tuesday’s storm.

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The Marketplace is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It will be closed Monday in observance of the holiday, however.

Those seeking food assistance should go to the Program Services Office at 205 Buttonwoods Ave., directly next door to the Marketplace at 211 Buttonwoods Ave., to fill out appropriate forms and speak with a case worker.

Food will be available to applicants the same day, according to the mayor.

Some residents also started a “Recovery Project” food drive. WestBay will accept donations of canned and boxed goods as well as gift cards to local markets, and those who would like to volunteer are welcome to stop by the facility to learn how they can help.

Those with questions should call the Marketplace at 732-4660, ext. 140.

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