Power to Stay Out All Day for Over 2,700 in Livingston County

LIVINGSTON COUNTY  Thousands are still without power Friday in central and southern Livingston County.

Early estimates by RG&E were that power would be restored by the early hours of Friday morning. However, as of 8 a.m., power is still out for over 1,200 in Geneseo, over 900 in Mount Morris, over 400 in Nunda, and 39 in Portage.

Power is expected to be restored by 11 p.m. in the south of the county. Geneseo’s power restoration estimate is still being assessed.

National Grid reports scattered outages of ‘less than five’ customers in Geneseo, Lakeville and Retsof. Their biggest reported outage is in Lima, affecting 90. There is no estimate for restoration of power in Lima.

With another round of heavy snowfall forecasted, National Grid reminds customers to clear gas vents of snow and ice. Blocked vents can cause the deadly buildup of carbon monoxide.

National Grid put out a press release in advance of the storm warning not only of the snow and ice but of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The press release says that the symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to those of the flu, and can include headaches, weakness, confusion, chest tightness, skin redness, dizziness, nausea, sleepiness, heart fluttering or loss of muscle control. If you suspect carbon monoxide is present in your home, immediately go outside and breathe deeply; then call 911.

Customers and snow removal contractors should be aware of the location of natural gas equipment to avoid coming in contact with meters and outside gas risers.

Cleared snow should never be piled around vents.

Ice and snow falling from a roof can damage gas meters and service connections, resulting in potential gas leaks. Customers should take immediate action if a natural gas leak is suspected:

Get Out – All occupants should leave the house immediately. Do not use the telephone, light switches or automatic garage door openers for any reason.

Call National Grid – After leaving the house and reaching a safe environment, call National Grid’s 24-hour gas emergency number: 1-800-892-2345.

Stay Out – Do not return to your home until National Grid tells you it is safe.

National Grid also released the following electricity and generator safety tips:

Generators used to supply power during an outage, must be operated outdoors. Before operating a generator, be sure to disconnect from National Grid’s system by shutting off the main breaker, located in the electric service panel. Failure to do this could endanger our crews and your neighbors.
Never touch downed power lines; always assume they are carrying live electricity. Downed lines should be immediately reported to National Grid at 1-800-867-5222 or to your local emergency response organization.

Customers who depend on electrically powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should register as a life support customer by calling National Grid at 1-800-642-4272. (In a medical emergency, always dial 911.)

National Grid also reminds customers that real-time power outage information, online outage reporting, and in-depth storm safety information is available on the Outage Central section of the National Grid website here.

To receive statewide text message alerts from National Grid, text the word STORM to NGRID (64743). Online and text alert services can be stopped at the customer’s request by responding with the word STOP at any time. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram where we provide the latest news and updates on the storm.