FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NYSEG and RG&E Preparing for Potential High Winds and Lightning
Companies prepare for potential of service disruptions as a result of weather
BINGHAMTON, NY — March 19, 2020, 4:00 p.m. EST — NYSEG and RG&E, AVANGRID companies, are preparing for the potential of high winds and lightning associated with incoming storms expected to impact their service areas on Friday. As a result, customers may experience service disruptions. The storm is expected to impact the entire NYSEG and RG&E footprint, which includes the Western New York, Rochester, Southern Tier, North Country, Capital Region, Hudson Valley and Westchester regions.
Current forecast calls for high winds and lightning to begin Friday morning and end tomorrow evening. During that time some areas may experience wind gusts of 40-60 mph. The companies urge customers to monitor forecasts and prepare for the possibility of service interruptions.
In anticipation of the weather the companies’ storm readiness teams have been monitoring weather forecasts, planning and readying crews and equipment. As part of the companies’ coronavirus response effort, personnel have been inspecting electrical circuits that provide hospitals and other critical facilities power and those patrols continue in preparation of this event. Additionally, more than 600 line and field personnel are on-site with 200 more ready to respond should outages occur. The companies announced that despite the current public health challenges in communities across the state, NYSEG and RG&E are working to ensure that they have the resources necessary to respond and that, along with all company personnel, are following heightened safety precautions in response to the coronavirus. The companies are also coordinating preparations with state and local emergency management officials.
The companies will provide updates throughout the event to the general public on their website and social media channels (Facebook and Twitter) and also remind customers of the following safety tips to prepare for the storm and stay safe if power outages do occur.