Thousands In WNY Without Power Due To Storm
Update: Sunday, December 25, 2022
Officials from National Grid and New York State Electic and Gas (NYSEG) have issued updates related to power outages and the estimated time of when services will be restored to the thousands of people who have lost power due to the blizzard that essentially shut down Buffalo and Western New York for the last several days.
As of approximately 8 pm on Sunday, December 25, 2022, there are approximately 15,000 people who are still without power in Western New York.
NYSEG has been able to restore power to most people in their service area, with approximately 225 people still without power. They have reported their crews have been working non-stop and they have made significant progress since the height of the storm.
National Grid has also made progress in restoring power in some areas, but other areas still remain without power due to some significant issues in the area. Of the more than 14,000 people who remain without power, a large chunk of those outages is due to frozen substations in the area.
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Officials from Erie County have reminded people to do their best to stay off the roads. Many of the roads in Western New York are impassable due to abandoned cars being left behind and impeding the ability for snow removal equipment to get through.
Original Story: Friday, December 23, 2022
The winter storm that has large sections of the entire country is making a huge impact on Western New York as it brings blizzard conditions with high winds and extreme cold temperatures. This storm, which is expected to drop more than 3 feet of lake-effect snow on Buffalo and the surrounding areas, is bringing to make life difficult for area residents.
According to updates from power and energy companies in the area, thousands of Western New Yorkers have lost power and the expectation is for that number to grow over the next few hours.
According to reports from both National Grid and New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG), nearly 40,000 people in Western New York have lost power. As it stands now, officials from these companies can not estimate when the power will be able to be stored as weather conditions have continued to worsen.
Electrical utility companies have more than 7,000 staff ready to help restore power and crews have been assigned to deal with more than 200 separate power outage events across the region, but their ability to work will be dictated by the weather continues that continue to plague the area.
More Info: Watch Dangerous Whiteout Conditions Due To Blizzard In Buffalo [Video]
With New York State being in a State of Emergency and with large parts of Western New York under a travel ban, the roads should be so that crews can work.
If you happen to lose power, Erie County in partnership with other municipalities and non-profits is opening up emergency shelters all over the area. Also, make sure you have flashlights and plenty of batteries.