NINETY PERCENT BACK IN SERVICE BY LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT

O&R expects to restore electric service by midnight Wednesday night to the vast majority of approximately 100,000 of its customers who lost power as a result of Saturday’s destructive snow storm.

O&R expects to return electric service to the remaining customers affected by midnight Friday night. O&R has restored electric service to about half affected customers as of mid-day Monday.

Because of the extensive damage caused by the storm, O&R is supplementing its workforce with mutual aid, contractor and tree crews from as far away as Florida, Maryland and Michigan.

That damage includes large numbers of downed wires that were knocked down by snow-laden trees and branches. Those downed wires pose a significant safety risk. Everyone should always assume downed power lines are energized and extremely dangerous. Keep away from them at least 50 feet and report them to O&R at 1-877-434-4100.

That danger is compounded by the fact that Monday is Halloween and far more children than usual will be scurrying along local streets trick-or-treating. O&R urges parents, teachers and others responsible for supervising children to be extra mindful of the risk downed wires present in this situation and exercise extra care in keeping a watchful eye on their charges.