UI, SCG & CNG Remind Customers to Be ‘Storm Smart’

ORANGE, Conn. — June 5, 2017 — The official start of summer is weeks away, but summer storm season is already here.

The 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season started June 1, and severe weather is a possibility throughout the warm-weather months.

AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) and its energy companies — including United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas in Connecticut — remind customers that now is a good time to update their emergency plans, assemble storm kits and review safety guidelines.

“Storm preparedness is one of our highest priorities, and planning for storms and other emergencies is something we do year-round at all of our companies,” said Bob Kump, president and CEO of Avangrid Networks, parent of UI, SCG and CNG. “It’s also important for customers and their families to know what to do in order to stay safe and comfortable in case a storm causes prolonged loss of electricity or other utility services.”

The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a more-active-than usual season, with a likelihood of 11 to 17 named storms (sustained winds of 39 mph or higher), of which five to nine could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including two to four major hurricanes (winds of 111 mph or higher).

Plan Ahead:

  • UI customers can text “REG” to 839-884 (TEXT-UI) and sign up to receive storm and outage alerts by text message. Subscribers will learn about outages affecting their property, estimated restoration times and confirmation when power is restored. Email and phone alerts are available: Visit My Account at uinet.com to set them up.
  • Customers should have flashlights, a first-aid kit, a battery-operated radio or TV, a manual can-opener, a battery-operated clock and spare batteries on hand.
  • Keep supplies of drinking water and non-perishable food available.
  • Keep mobile phones, tablets, and other devices charged. Store key contact information in your device and keep a paper copy for back-up.
    • UI: 800.722.5584
    • SCG: 800.659.8299
    • CNG: 860.524.8361 (Hartford area); 203.869.6900 (Greenwich)
  • People who rely on electronic life-support or medical-monitoring equipment should develop a backup plan in case an extended power outage occurs. UI has a program to register “life support” customers. Call 800.722.5584 to find out more.

Report Problems and Get Information:

  • Visit the Storm Center at uinet.com for an up-to-date Outage Map, Town Outage List, storm preparation tips, safety information and more.
  • UI offers mobile outage reporting. Text “OUT” to 839.884 (TEXT-UI) to report an outage (registration required). You can also report an outage at the Storm Center at uinet.com, or by calling UI at 800.722.5584.
  • Visit ready.gov/hurricanes for additional storm preparation information, and sign up for Connecticut emergency alerts at ct.gov/ctalert.

Be Safe:

  • Always assume downed lines are live and dangerous. If you see a downed power line or trees touching power lines, call your electric utility with the location and details. If you smell gas or suspect a leak, go outside and call your gas utility.
    • UI: 800.722.5584
    • SCG: 800.513.8898 (emergency)
    • CNG: 866.924.5325 (emergency)
  • If flooding of a home or business has occurred, or is imminent, customers should contact their gas and electric companies to have service turned off.

Home Generators:

  • Have a certified electrician install any generator that plugs into a home’s electrical system. It must be connected via a transfer switch, which isolates the house from the utility’s electric service while the generator is running. This stops electricity from back-feeding into the electrical system, causing a hazard. Improper installation can damage the generator, or endanger utility employees or the public.
  • UI leases and installs an automatic transfer switch that safely connects your portable generator to your electric meter to allow you to run your home’s equipment directly from your circuit breaker panel. Call 877.447.8743 or visit www.uinet.com/shieldandconnect for information.
  • If adding a natural gas-fired generator, consult your gas utility to ensure there is adequate pressure.
  • Carefully read and observe all instructions in your generator’s operating manual.
  • Never run a generator indoors, or even in an open garage.

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About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) is a diversified energy and utility company with more than $31 billion in assets and operations in 27 states. The company owns regulated utilities and electricity generation assets through two primary lines of business, Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks is comprised of eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving approximately 3.2 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables operates more than 6 gigawatts of owned and controlled renewable generation capacity, primarily through wind and solar, in 22 states across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 6,800 people. For more information, visit avangrid.com.

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