Unitil Corporation, (www.unitil.com), a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England, is preparing for a significant winter storm to impact the region Wednesday and into Thursday.
According to the most recent forecasts, as much as 12-18 inches of snow is possible in all regions, with at least a portion of the snow expected to be wet and heavy in consistency. Wet heavy snow can stick to trees and limbs, causing damage. Based on current forecasts and the potential for wet snow, Unitil has secured additional crews from as far away as Canada in advance of the storm. Unitil is currently planning to open its Emergency Operations Center beginning Wednesday evening to coordinate any restoration efforts.
"While dry snow is light, fluffy and blows around, wet snow can have a paste-like quality that sticks to everything. On top of that, the ground is soft and water saturated from last week’s rain event, which further increases the risk of significant damage to otherwise healthy trees should we see wetter snow."
Media Relations Manager, Alec O’Meara
We recommend our customers remain similarly prepared by checking and making an inventory of the following items:
- Flashlights and fresh batteries
- A battery-operated radio and clock
- Bottled water, canned foods and a manual can opener
- A list of important phone numbers and a car charger for cell phones if applicable
- A first aid kit.
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.
Unitil will be communicating throughout the event through Public Service Announcements (PSAs), our website, our customer call center and through the media. We also encourage customers to follow along with our storm updates via Facebook, our Twitter feed (@Unitil) and we will be providing real-time outage information online at unitil.com/map.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR MEDIA: Unitil asks that when reporting outage information, outlets time stamp the information. Outage numbers change hourly and we wish to make sure the information customers receive is consistent and understandable. Re-Tweets and re-posting of old information without referencing a time can create confusion.
Customers experiencing outages should call the following toll-free numbers:
- For the NH Seacoast Area: 1-800-582-7276
- For the NH Capital Area: 1-800-852-3339
- For Massachusetts: 1-888-301-7700
You can also report outages online at http://www.unitil.com/report-outage.
