National Grid has been named a recipient of four Edison Electric Institute Emergency Recovery and Response Awards for the company’s exceptional performance in restoring power to upstate New York customers, and assisting other New York utilities with service restoration after a series of wind, ice and snow storms impacted the region earlier this year.
“Over the past year, electric companies confronted severe storms and extreme weather events, including hurricanes, tornadoes and winter storms, that impacted customers and communities across the nation,” said Tom Kuhn, president, EEI. “Despite challenging conditions, National Grid and its employees worked around the clock to restore power safely and as quickly as possible. I congratulate and applaud National Grid and its employees for their continued dedication to the customers and communities they serve, and I am honored to present them with this well-deserved award.”
National Grid was recognized for recovery efforts after two recent, damaging storms. In April 2022, thousands of National Grid employees worked around the clock in challenging weather conditions after a sustained winter storm brought up to 10 inches of heavy, wet snow and wind gusts of more than 50 mph to the region, impacting more than 220,000 customers. The company also was recognized for exceptional performance after a December 2021 storm pummeled the region with heavy rain and wind gusts of more than 80 mph in some areas. That storm also impacted more than 220,000 of the company’s 1.5 million electricity customers.
EEI also recognized National Grid’s employees for providing mutual assistance to neighboring utilities impacted by severe storms in Feb and March 2022.
“We are honored and grateful to have the hard work and dedication of the men and women of National Grid recognized by Edison Electric Institute,” said Brian Gemmell, chief operating officer for electric operations, National Grid New York. “It’s testimony to the tremendous efforts by our upstate New York team and their commitment to excellence and to serving our customers.”
The Emergency Response Awards recognize recovery and assistance efforts of electric companies following service disruptions caused by extreme weather or other natural events. The winners were chosen by a panel of judges following an international nomination process, and the awards were presented this week at EEI’s annual thought leadership forum. Since 2005, National Grid has received 42 emergency response awards from EEI.
