Unitil Corporation is expecting the center of Tropical Storm Irene to pass over its service territories over the next 6-8 hours and urges customers to stay safe during this critical period.
“Crews will be out working for as long as it is safe to do so, but it is critical for our customers to stay indoors and seek shelter,” Unitil Emergency Management Director Rich Francazio said. “We will continue to work closely with first responders to keep roads open and address any concerns they bring to our attention.”
As of 11:30 a.m., approximately 15,700 of Unitil’s 103,000 electric customers system wide are reporting outages. Of those customers, 4,200 of Unitil’s 28,000 customers in Massachusetts are without power and 11,500 of Unitil’s 75,000 customers in New Hampshire are without power. Customer outage numbers increased substantially at approximately 11 a.m. as wind speeds increased as the storm arrived in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
In the event of downed wires, assume all cables and wires that have fallen or dangling are energized and stay away. Be sure to avoid wet ground or puddles near a downed lined because water conducts electricity. In addition, keep away from all flooded and debris laden areas because they may be hiding downed lines. Stay in a safe place and avoid driving in damaged areas so you don’t interfere with rescue and restoration efforts.
Customers experiencing outages should call the following toll-free numbers:
- For the NH Seacoast Area: 800-582-7276
- For the NH Capital Area: 800-852-3339
- For Massachusetts: 888-301-7700
In the event of downed wires, assume all cables and wires that have fallen or dangling are energized and stay away. Be sure to avoid wet ground or puddles near a downed lined because water conducts electricity. In addition, keep away from all flooded and debris laden areas because they may be hiding downed lines. Stay in a safe place and avoid driving in damaged areas so you don’t interfere with rescue and restoration efforts.
