NSTAR Crews Responding to Early Damage, Power Outages

See the power outage map from NSTAR here.

The following is a press release sent by NSTAR at 2:30 p.m.:

As Hurricane Sandy began to impact Massachusetts late this morning, NSTAR crews and contractors began their response to outages across the region. The company is bracing for significant damage and power outages as the storm moves across the area.

In advance of the storm’s arrival, the company opened its emergency operations center this morning and staffed its regional work centers across the state. Approximately 1,200 contract personnel from as faraway as Texas and the Midwest are assisting NSTAR’s 3,000 employees in their efforts. These crews are already hard at work and will remain at the ready as the storm progresses.

NSTAR’s call center is fully staffed and ready to field customer calls. If a customer loses power, it is important they report their outage at once to NSTAR. Customers can report outages by calling 1-800-592-2000 or through www.nstar.com.

Safety Reminders– With the forecast calling for continued heavy rains and high winds, downed lines are a major safety concern. Customers are reminded to stay away from downed wires and assume any downed line is live and dangerous. Downed lines should be reported to NSTAR immediately at 1-800-592-2000.

NSTAR reminds customers that it is critical for their safety and the safety of line workers who will repair the electrical system that portable generators be installed correctly. To protect line workers, a generator should only be attached to the house wiring and completely isolated from the utility supply. Without proper isolation, power that is being generated through the home could also feed into the NSTAR electrical system, causing an unsafe situation for both line workers and neighbors. Please take care when installing a portable generator.

For more generator safety tips, visit www.nstar.com and clickvthe “generator safety” link on our homepage.

Staying Informed– During major power restoration efforts, NSTAR uses a variety of communication tools to keep the public informed. Customers can follow NSTAR on Twitter @nstar_news or on Facebook for real time updates. Customers can also access NSTAR’s outage map to see up-to-date outage information about their community.