National Grid Warns of Payment Scam

The electric company is warning people to avoid a new payment scam via phones.

National Grid is warning its customers of a new, nationwide utility bill scam. In the past several days, customers have received telephone calls from individuals claiming to work for National Grid.  These scammers demand payment on past due balances for electric accounts and threaten customers that their service will immediately be shut-off for non-payment.  In some cases the caller also tells the customer that they may have a faulty meter that is dangerous and in need of replacing for a substantial fee.  Callers are being directed to make an immediate, over-the-phone payment in order to keep their power on. National Grid never seeks payment of any type over the telephone and urges customers who have received these calls to call the …

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5 Things You Need To Know Today

Five Things: No School, Comp Plan Hearing

Your guide for life in East Greenwich today, Feb 11.

Power: It’s largely restored in East Greenwich but for the maybe 300 households still without power, that’s little comfort, I know. National Grid is saying power will be restored by tonight. If you are without power and need anything, please let me know – elizabeth.mcnamara@patch.com. My house is open to you. Streets: DPW crews will be back at it today, plowing the streets to widen them to their full width. If your street is in dire need of plowing, let me know and I will pass it on.  Sidewalks: The DPW crews will deal with sidewalks – particularly on Main Street – when they have finished street work.  Town Council meeting CANCELLED: On the agenda is a public hearing on the town’s revised Comprehensive Plan, which has been in the works …

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Elizabeth McNamara

5:10 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013

Yes. And there will be school Tuesday: http://patch.com/A-1Q1j   more ›

Sunday Blizzard Blog: Power Picture Improves, Still No Word On School

Life is getting back to normal, but power outages, rain tomorrow are still causing problems.

Sunday, Feb. 10 4:15 p.m. 1:45 p.m. 

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More Than 1,300 EG Customers Without Power

High winds from this Thursday's nor'easter have caused power outages across the state over the past day.

  Nearly a quarter of National Grid's customers in East Greenwich are without power Thursday morning due to high winds from an incoming nor'easter. The storm, dubbed Son of Sandy or Winter Storm Athena, has knocked out power to 1,332 customers in East Greenwich – primarily in the Tillinghast Road and Frenchtown Road area west of Route 4. Overall across the state, about 3,200 customers are without power – mostly in East Greenwich. National Grid is projecting power to be restored in East Greenwich around 1:30 p.m. today. Today's high winds will continue into this afternoon, dissipating around 3 p.m. According to the National Weather Service, which has issued a high wind advisory for the area, officials are projecting winds of 20 to 30 mph …

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Power Crews Working On 2 Main Outages

All the trees tangled in power lines have been removed and power restoration workers on on the scene.

As of noon Wednesday, there were two main electricity feeder lines still out in East Greenwich, according to Town Manager Bill Sequino. One of the lines is near the high school and the other is on Frenchtown Road.  Power restoration crews arrived in town Wednesday morning, able to get to work only once all the trees tangled in power lines had been removed. Sequino said there are 475 households without power in the area near East Greenwich High School and another 900 without power in Frenchtown. Small outage pockets exist as well. National Grid is estimating the major lines will be repaired by Thursday, with the smaller outages fixed by Friday. "People are extremely frustrated," he said, but he noted, "Today should be a major improvement …

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Power Outages Across EG

There are 16 wires down as of noon Tuesday, reports Town Manager Bill Sequino.

While East Greenwich was spared the worst of Hurricane Sandy's force, there were still thousands of residents without power as of noon Tuesday, with outages from east of Division Street near downtown to South Road in the southwest of town. According to Public Works Director Joe Duarte, his workers can't deal with downed trees until National Grid secures the power lines. In some cases, such as on Frenchtown Road west of Tillinghast, that means a major town road is closed.  National Grid's power outage map (click here) provides information and updates. If you are out of power, you can make sure National Grid knows by clicking here or calling 800-322-3223. You can also contact the Police Department at 884-2244 to let them know of outages. …

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Many Customers West Of South County Trail Without Power

The storm moved in quickly from the north, bringing welcome rain along with frustrating power outages.

Just as predicted (we usually only notice when they get it wrong!), a thunder and lightning storm rolled into East Greenwich late this afternoon, bringing with it power outages in many neighborhoods west of South County Trail (Route 2). According to the National Grid website, crews are still assessing the situation. The storm also brough some very welcome rain and cooler, less humid weather which will continue for the next few days. If you have information about power outages in your area, please post a comment!

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Elizabeth McNamara

7:23 pm on Wednesday, July 18, 2012

I saw that on the map. Very strange. I'll have to investigate! All good in your neighborhood?   more ›

Poll: Should Utility Companies Rebate Customers for Power Outages?

A Massachusetts legislator wants customers to get paid when they don't have power.

A Massachusetts legislator is urging passage of a new law that would force utility companies to rebate customers when there are extended outages. State Rep. Daniel Winslow (R-Norfolk, MA) has asked the Massachusetts House Rules Committee to take action on a power outage rebate bill. According to a release from Winslow's office reported on Wrentham Patch, the bill would require rebates to customers who go without power for more than eight hours. The rebate would be for two days of their average bill for each day the customer is without power. The move is prompted by the Halloween weekend storm that knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of customers throughout Massachusetts, just two months after Tropical Storm Irene knocked out power …

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Early Morning Power Outage Affects EGHS, Tanglewood Area

National Grid was back on the scene Friday morning replacing a broken wire on Middle Road

Power was out to parts of East Greenwich High School and the surrounding neighborhood early Friday morning, resulting in a delayed start to the school day just two weeks after the multi-day power outages caused by Tropical Storm Irene. "Classes will start at 8:30," said EGHS Principal Michael Podraza, standing outside the high school a little after 8 Friday morning. "They'll just miss the first period." Students had reported to school at the regular time - 7:30 - because the power troubles were not discovered until the first staff members arrived at the building after 6 a.m. The outage did not affect every room. In some cases, according to Podraza, the lights in a classroom were working but not the computers. He said that three different …

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Kristin Costa Offiler

10:04 am on Friday, September 16, 2011

I'm in Potowomut and woke up this morning to a flashing 00:00 clock on the microwave-- guess we lost power down here at some point too. It's back on now though, thank God!   more ›

Rants and Raves

Saving Bacon, Annoying Calls From Rita & Morons

What to love and hate about East Greenwich this week.

RAVE: A friend once said all that lies between civilization and chaos is a light bulb. Well, chaos hit East Greenwich and all of Rhode Island and the rest of this East Coast this past week. I shudder to think what would happen if we had to deal with a real emergency – like an actual hurricane. We lost power much earlier than expected. I didn’t even get a chance to fill up the tub. I must say, I used to like candles but cooking on the grill by candelabra got old pretty fast. Drinking coffee without milk got even older. I feel sorry for all those people who stocked up on milk and meats and other perishables. Just saying. All in all, though, everyone behaved remarkably well. But special raves go out to: RANT: There are three things you can't …

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