Unitil Corporation, (unitil.com), a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England, is preparing for the potential for a significant snow storm to impact the system tomorrow and into Thursday. According to the most recent forecasts, as much as 8-12 inches of snow are possible in all areas of Unitil’s system, with higher totals possible in Massachusetts, and wind gusts expected to approach 30-35 mph. Currently, very cold temperatures are expected for the duration of the event, making snow consistency lighter and drier than other recent snowstorms.
"The high volume of snow combined with gusty winds will likely create visibility issues during the peak hours of the storm, which may lead to motor vehicle accidents and other issues that can cause scattered outages. We urge everyone to follow guidance from first responders and to avoid traveling when possible as the storm passes through," said Alec O'Meara, Media Relations Manager.
In light of the ongoing concerns regarding COVID 19, Unitil proactively secured additional third party crews to bolster resources. Unitil will continue to monitor the forecast and is prepared to escalate its response further if conditions warrant doing so. 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.
Heavy snow can have an impact on home meters, especially natural gas meters and vents. As snow accumulates, Unitil advises customers to take the following steps:
- Remove snow and ice carefully from a meter or outdoor appliance vent carefully with a broom. Do not use a shovel as it can damage the meter.
- Avoid shoveling or plowing snow up against or covering the meter or pipe.
- Remove icicles from overhead eaves and gutters to assure dripping water does not freeze the meter or vent pipe. Contact a qualified roofing vendor if you cannot reach icicles yourself.
- Do not kick your gas meter in an attempt to break ice off, as this too can cause damage.
"We urge everyone to follow guidance from first responders and to avoid traveling when possible as the storm passes through."
Alec O'Meara, Media Relations Manager
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 1-888-301-7700. You can also report outages online here.
