United Illuminating Ready Ahead of Stormy Weekend

ORANGE, Conn. — March 11, 2022 —This weekend’s forecast is bringing mixed precipitation and wind to the region, and United Illuminating (UI) is prepared for any outages and advises customers to do the same. Forecasters predict rain and wind beginning Saturday morning transitioning to snow and sustaining wind through Sunday morning. The company advises customers to be prepared as storms of any size can impact our daily lives.

“Our storm team has been monitoring the weather and expect strong winds and rain, which have the potential to cause outages. We must be all prepared and ready for whatever may come. We’ve developed storm preparedness information on our website, uinet.com, that is a good starting point for any preparedness efforts,” said UI President & CEO Frank Reynolds. “We also encourage all customers to sign up for text message alerts, download the UI mobile app, and follow us on social media to get the most up-to-date information on our weather response.”

UI advises customers to be prepared for the possibility of weather-related outages and to always have a plan of their own in case of an extended loss of service. Customers can get up-to-date information on the UI website and the mobile app. UI is also offering the following safety tips.

Before a Storm

  • Sign up for Outage Alerts. Text “REG” to 839-884 (TEXT-UI) to receive free text alerts if you lose service and for restoration updates. Or, visit uinet.com  for additional alert options.
  • Keep long-lasting LED flashlights and lanterns on hand, along with a battery-operated radio, fresh batteries, drinking water, non-perishable foods and prescription medications.
  • Fully charge mobile devices and store emergency contacts in memory.
  • Fuel vehicles and fill spare fuel tanks for generators.

Safety Tips

 

  • Stay far away from downed wires and anything that may be in contact with them. Report downed wires and other electrical hazards to UI at 800-722-5584.
  • If a downed wire comes in contact with your vehicle, stay inside, call 911 and wait for help. If you must get out because of fire or other danger, avoid making contact with the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Jump clear of the vehicle, land with your feet together, and hop away with both feet together, or shuffle away without lifting your feet. Don’t run or stride.
  • If you suspect a natural gas leak, call the emergency number listed on your gas company’s website. (For Southern Connecticut Gas, call 800.513.8898; for Connecticut Natural Gas, call 866.924.5325).

 

Generators

  • Do not use a generator that plugs into your home’s electrical system unless connected via a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician. Improperly connected generators can back-feed electricity into the outside grid and pose a danger to the public and crews working to restore service.
  • Carefully read and observe the instructions in your generator’s operating manual.
  • Properly ground all portable generators.
  • Never run a generator indoors, in an open garage, or near a window.
  • Do not store fuel indoors or try to refuel a generator while it’s running.

Report an Outage

  • To report an outage, visit uinet.com  or call 800.722.5584 (800.7.CALL.UI).
  • Report outages using the company’s new mobile app, available from the Apple Store and Google Play.
  • Report outages via UI’s mobile alerts system: text “OUT” to 839-884 (TEXT-UI). Registration is required.

Additional storm readiness and safety information

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About UI:  The United Illuminating Company (UI) is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. Established in 1899, UI operates approximately 3,600 miles of electric distribution lines and 138 miles of transmission lines. It serves approximately 341,000 customers in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas of Connecticut. UI received the Edison Electric Institute’s Emergency Recovery Award in 2019 and 2021. For more information, visit www.uinet.com.  

 

About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) is a leading sustainable energy company transitioning America toward a clean and connected future headquartered in Orange, CT, and has a footprint in 24 states with $40 billion in assets. Our primary businesses are Avangrid Networks, which serves 3.3 million electric and natural gas customers in the Northeast, and Avangrid Renewables, the third-largest renewable energy company in the U.S. with a diverse onshore and offshore renewable energy portfolio. With more than 7,000 employees, AVANGRID has built a culture that blends diversity, equity and inclusion guided by the company’s ESG+F framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This has led to recognition by JUST Capital in 2021 and 2022 as one of America’s best corporate citizens and second in utilities for our commitment to the environment and the communities we serve. AVANGRID has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for three consecutive years by the Ethisphere Institute.

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