Energy company making significant progress clearing blocked roads and addressing community priorities

MANCHESTER, N.H. (April 5, 2024) – With the support of additional out-of-state resources arriving from across the region overnight and throughout the day, more than 2,200 line, tree and service crews are working to restore power to Eversource customers following the early spring Nor’easter that caused significant damage to the electric system across New Hampshire. As of 5 p.m., the energy company has restored power to more than 234,500 customers since the storm began, including nearly 80,000 in fewer than five minutes by remote system operators using switching technology. Crews are working tirelessly to restore the approximately 41,000 remaining outages while addressing emergency situations and clearing blocked roads. The energy company is continuing to shift crews to its hardest-hit communities and expects to have most of its customers restored by Sunday at 8pm, with the majority before then.

“This is an all-hands-on-deck response between the number of crews we’ve had working since the storm began and the additional out-of-state crews that continue arriving to aid the restoration effort,” said Eversource New Hampshire President of Electric Operations Doug Foley. “The number of crews we’ll have working on this restoration is comparable to the size team that responded to some of the large storms last year, which were among the most impactful in our state’s history. Our state took on damage from this storm well into the overnight hours, and we continue to assess the damage both on the ground and in the air with drones so we can efficiently deploy our resources to get power restored as quickly as possible. Our crews are making solid progress tackling larger outages, clearing downed trees and debris to open blocked roads and repairing broken poles, all while remaining laser-focused on safety. We recognize how disruptive these early spring storms have been to our customers’ lives and we will stay on the job around the clock until everyone has their power back.”

Crews work to clear and repair significant tree damage on Liberty Hill Rd in Gilford.

Most of the damage to Eversource’s electric system was caused by the heavy, wet snow and fierce winds, bringing trees and branches down onto power lines and equipment. The energy company has been working to respond to more than 1,000 public safety reports with damage from the Nor’easter being seen in every region of the state, including 312 blocked roads and 180 broken poles. 

Eversource reminds customers to always stay clear of downed wires – including keeping pets away – and report them immediately to 911. The energy company also stresses that customers who are without power and using a generator to be sure the generator is located well away from their home or business and that the transfer switch is working properly. Customers should also be cautious when doing their own storm cleanup – when moving or cutting tree limbs, look for any wires that may be entangled in debris. 

Additional safety tips are available on the safety page of Eversource’s website.

Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, is the #1 energy company in Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies for 2024 and recognized as a Five-Year Champion, appearing in every edition of the list. Celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, Eversource is New Hampshire’s largest electric utility, serving nearly 535,000 homes and businesses in 211 cities and towns, and also supplies water to approximately 10,300 homes and businesses in eight communities. Eversource is proud to be recognized as the #1 contributor to United Way in New Hampshire. Eversource harnesses the commitment of approximately 9,900 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer service. The #1 energy efficiency provider in the nation, the company is empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally recognized energy efficiency solutions and successful programs to integrate new clean energy resources like a first-in-the-nation networked geothermal pilot project, solar, offshore wind, electric vehicles and battery storage, into the electric system. For more information, please visit eversource.com, and follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. For more information on our water services, visit aquarionwater.com.

CONTACT:
Kaitlyn Woods
603-860-3123
Kaitlyn.woods@eversource.com