National Grid power outage to impact thousands in Rochester region. What you should know

Emily Barnes, New York State Team
Updated ·3 min read

Essential upgrades to National Grid's system will leave over 7,000 customers in the Rochester area without power Saturday.

The company will be replacing two aging structures that support a transmission line on Jan. 6, National Grid said in a press release last week. The scheduled power outage will take place from around 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“We understand the inconvenience of an outage of this length at this time of year,” says National Grid Regional Director Ken Kujawa. “The need to address these structures is urgent and came to light in recent weeks during work related to extensive electric system upgrades our crews are conducting in the area."

Where and how many will National Grid power outage affect?

The planned blackout is expected to affect around 7,300 customers in Livingston, Ontario and Monroe counties, including these specific areas:

  • Avon, Caledonia, Lima and Livonia

  • Bloomfield and West Bloomfield

  • Henrietta, Honeoye Falls, Mendon and Rush

Where you can go to stay warm during National Grid power outage

Warming centers will be available at nine locations throughout the impacted area. The list and times that the facilities are to be open and available are subject to change, the company said, due to schedules and staffing.

In Livingston County, affected residents can visit these locations for warmth:

  • East Avon Fire Department: 1615 West Henrietta Road in Avon, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

  • Avon Fire Department: 74 Genesee St. in Avon, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

  • Lima Ambulance Base: 7024 W. Main St. in Lima, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

  • J.W. Jones Hall: 366 Leicester Road in Caldonia, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Here's where affected residents can stop by in Monroe County:

  • Mendon Fire Department Community Room: 101 Mendon-Iona Road in Mendon, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Rush Fire Department Building: 1971 Rush-Mendon Road in Rush, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

  • Honeoye Falls Ambulance Base: 210 East St. in Honeoye Falls, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

And Ontario County residents affected by the outage can visit these locations:

  • Ionia Fire Department: 8338 County Rd. 14 in Ionia, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 

  • West Bloomfield Congregational Church: 9035 Routes 5 & 20 in West Bloomfield, 7:30 am-4:30 pm

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Electricity and generator safety tips

National Grid offered up some tips ahead of Saturday's outage to ensure their customers stay safe.

  • Generators used to supply power during an outage must be operated outdoors to prevent the buildup of deadly carbon monoxide.

  • Before operating a generator, be sure to disconnect from National Grid's system by shutting off the main breaker, located in the electric service panel. Failure to do so could endanger the National Grid crew and your neighbors.

  • Customers who depend on electrically powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should contact National Grid at 1-800-642-4272 for information on requesting designation as a life support customer.

  • Keep working flashlights and an extra supply of batteries in your home and be sure to charge all electronic devices.

  • Use caution when driving near utility crews.

  • Be sure to check on elderly family members, neighbors and others who may need assistance during an outage.

Emily Barnes is the New York State Team consumer advocate reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Barnes at ebarnes@gannett.com or on Twitter @byemilybarnes.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: National Grid power outage to impact thousands in Rochester NY region