In a news release today, Rhode Island Energy (RIE) says it is closely monitoring a storm forecasted to hit New England early Wednesday into early Thursday, bringing heavy rain and high winds.
Current forecasts call for winds with potential gusts of more than 70 mph along the coast and 50 mph inland. RIE says it is gearing up for the storm and has secured 180 extra line and tree crews to help restore customer outages as quickly and safely as possible.
“Soaking rain and strong winds increase the risk of trees and branches falling onto power lines and equipment, leading to power outages,” said Greg Cornett, president of Rhode Island Energy, in a statement. “To prepare, we’re taking every necessary step to ensure our team is ready to respond. Crews will be stationed at our work centers across the state ahead of the storm, allowing them to quickly address any damage and restore power as fast as safety allows.”
As RIE prepares for the storm, the energy company encourages customers to do the same by putting together or replenishing a storm kit. This should include flashlights, batteries, bottled water, non-perishable foods, pet supplies, and necessary medications. Additionally, RIE advises ensuring cell phones and other devices are fully charged, creating an emergency plan with family members, and checking in on elderly neighbors and friends.
RIE urges customers to stay away from all downed wires, assume they are energized, and report them promptly by calling 911.
Additionally, customers can report an outage in the following ways:
- Report it online at RIEnergy.com/outage
- Text OUTAGE to RIEMSG (743674) to report an outage
- Text STATUS to RIEMSG (743674) to check on the status of your outage
- Call our Contact Center at 1-855-743-1101
For more tips on storm preparation, visit the Storm Preparedness & Safety section of RIE’s website.
