Weather
UI Urges Customers to Stay Away from Downed Wires
UI issues urgent reminder as crews prepare to respond to outages.
ORANGE, Conn. — August 4, 2020 (12 p.m. EDT) — United Illuminating, subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), today urgently reminded customers to stay far away from downed wires and other hazards caused by Tropical Storm Isaias.
The storm is projected to bring powerful gusts capable of toppling trees and limbs and causing damage to utility poles and wires. UI officials urged customers to remain safely indoors if possible and to stay far away from downed wires and anything that might be in contact with them.
Downed wires and damaged electrical equipment can be dangerous even at a distance, and they can be live even if they don’t appear to be energized. Stay at least 35 feet away and never drive over a downed wire. Report downed wires and other dangerous conditions to UI by calling 800.722.5584 (800.7.CALLUI).
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UI’s immediate concern in the aftermath of a storm is public safety. UI and contractor crews work with first-responders to address downed wires and make sure streets are safe and clear so that emergency vehicles can get through. Crews also work to restore service to critical facilities such as hospitals and evacuation centers that have been previously prioritized by local officials.
Next, UI focuses on assessing damage and restoring the backbone of its electrical system, including transmission lines, substations, circuits and primary lines. Crews focus on locations where they can restore large numbers of customers at once.
Find out what's happening in Orangewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Then, crews restore equipment and lines serving smaller groups of customers.
Finally, crews focus on restoring remaining service lines to individual homes and businesses. This phase may begin while higher-priority work is underway.
Report an Outage:
To report an outage, visit uinet.com or call 800.722.5584 (800.7.CALL.UI). Customers can also report outages using the company’s new mobile app, available from the Apple Store and Google Play. Or, they can report outages via UI’s mobile alerts system: text “OUT” to 839-884 (TEXT-UI). Registration is required.
Outage Alerts:
Sign up for free Outage Alerts at uinet.com to be notified by text, email or phone when you lose service and for restoration updates. Or, sign up for free text alerts by texting “REG” to 839-884 (TEXT-UI).
Additional Information:
- Visit UI online at uinet.com.
- Find UI on facebook.com/unitedilluminating.
- Follow @UnitedIllum on Twitter.
Storm relief resources can be found by calling Connecticut’s InfoLine at 2-1-1, or by visiting www.211ct.org.
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