Unitil Corporation, (www.unitil.com), a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England, has opened its system and regional operation centers to coordinate its response to Hurricane Sandy. Unitil urges customers to stay inside and stay safe during the peak hours of the storm.
“Public safety and the safety of our crews will be our top priority during the peak hours of this event,” Unitil media relations manager Alec O’Meara said. “We will have crews out restoring power as soon as conditions make it safe to do so, and we will be working closely with first responders to make sure wires down issue are addressed.”
Unitil has secured additional resources from as far away Michigan, Tennessee and Canada in preparation for this storm. As of 8:00 AM, Unitil has approximately 1,400 customers without power. Because of the extended period the effects of this storm will be felt, it is possible customers will experience multiple outages during the event.
Unitil will be communicating throughout the storm and restoration through Public Service Announcements (PSAs), Unitil’s website, our customer call center and through the media. We also encourage customers to follow along with our storm updates via our Twitter feed (@Unitil) and will be providing real-time outage information online at www.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. Re-tweets and re-posting of old information without referencing a time can create confusion.
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 and avoid anything metal nearby which could potentially conduct electricity. 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
You can also report outages online here.
“We have been in close contact with first responders throughout the storm and will work to resolve wires down issues as efficiently as conditions allow,” O’Meara said. “This is a storm of unprecedented size and impact, with one-third of Americans feeling the effects today. We ask for our customer’s patience and understanding as we respond to the storm.”
