Thousands are preparing for a planned power outage in the Finger Lakes region
by Daniel Finkelstein
Friday, January 5, 2024
Residents and local officials prepared for a power outage on Friday, January 5, 2024, ahead of National Grid maintenance work scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 6, 2024. (Photo by Daniel Finkelstein/WHAM)
MONROE COUNTY, N.Y. — Residents and local officials prepared for a power outage Friday ahead of National Grid's scheduled maintenance work Saturday.
Local officials have prepared warming stations ahead of an hours-long power outage that will affect about 7,000 National Grid customers.
“We're trying to answer some of those questions: Why now, why not in the spring or summer,” Honeoye Falls Mayor Rick Milne said. “Those are all valid questions, but knowing the facts about the stations that, if you will, prevent that power line from being compromised during a major weather event, we know what winters are like in Western New York. “I don’t want to take that risk.”
The utility told 13WHAM Thursday that it is committed to providing a safe and reliable power supply.
“We shouldn’t wait any longer, we need to address this immediately,” said David Bertola, a National Grid representative. “Over the past few weeks, during routine inspections of our equipment, we learned that urgent repairs needed to be made to two towers supporting a transmission line. If we do not make these repairs, the area is at risk of what is known as an unplanned outage.”
National Grid said the outage is expected to begin at 7:30 a.m. and last up to nine hours.
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At the Honeoye Falls Market Place, many stocked up on last-minute needs.
“I’ll probably stay in another area of the state with my kids,” said buyer Elizabeth Grant. “I could stay home and bundle up. We’re tough out here.”
Rush Fire Chief Jon Faugh reminded people how to safely heat their homes.
“Avoid anything you wouldn’t normally do,” Faugh said. “Obviously unconventional things or using appliances for unintended purposes…heating the house with the oven door. If you have space heaters that haven't been used for a long time, it would probably be good to have them checked and repaired. Make sure they are working properly before you need them tomorrow.
Warming stations are available at the following locations:
- Mendon Fire Department Community Room, 101 Mendon Ionia Road, (585) 624-6061, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m
- Rush Fire Department Building, 1971 Rush Mendon Road, (585) 533-2058, open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m
- Honeoye Falls Ambulance Base, 210 East Street, (585) 624-2200, open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m
- Rush Town Hall & Public Library, 5977 East Henrietta Road, (585) 533-1370, open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m
- East Avon Fire Department, 1615 West Henrietta Road, (585) 226-8207, open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m
- Avon Fire Department, 74 Genesee Street, (585) 226-8770, open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m
- Lima Emergency Services Base, 7024 West Main Street, (585) 624-2221, open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m
- JW Jones Hall, 366 Leicester Road, Caledonia, (585) 538-4626, open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m
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