News Releases

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (March 17, 2026) – Rhode Island Energy (RIE) has restored power to more than 35,000 customers of the over 45,000 impacted following an overnight storm that brought severe winds and heavy rain into the region.

The company has deployed additional crews and field personnel across the state to assess damage, clean up debris, and restore power following overnight damage caused by heavy rain and gusting winds that reached up to 65 mph, knocking down trees and damaging power lines. Saturated ground conditions caused by weeks of melting snow and rainfall have contributed to an increased number of outages across the state. As of 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, approximately 8,000 RIE customers remain without power.

"Following last night’s severe weather, our crews will be working around the clock to repair damage and restore power as quickly and as safely as possible," said Kathy Castro, Vice President of Electric Operations at RIE. "We understand that being without power is never easy, and we’ll continue working non-stop until every customer is restored.”

RIE prepared for the storm by securing additional crews and personnel as part of the company's emergency response operations and preparedness activities. This includes overhead and underground line workers for distribution and transmission restoration, tree-trimming crews, wires-down personnel,  substation workers and back office employees. As forecasts evolve, the company will continue to assess resource needs and communicate with local officials, first responders, and life-support customers.

As always, the safety of customers, communities, first responders, and crews is the company’s top priority during any power restoration process. Crews will begin the restoration process when it is deemed safe to conduct work. For example, it is not safe to work in an elevated bucket during periods of increased wind gusts.

Once it is safe for crews to begin restoring power, restoration happens in stages to ensure safety and efficiency. Crews will begin with assessing damage, making downed wires safe, then repairing transmission lines, followed by substations, and neighborhood circuits, before restoring individual homes.

As the restoration process continues, RIE will update estimated time of restoration (ETRs) on our outage map to provide the public with town-level estimates – representing the estimated time the last customer in the community can expect to be restored.

Estimating the time of power restoration is not an exact science. Road closures and access challenges, work volume, the cause of the outage, and the extent of the damage can all affect time estimates. It's also normal for outage numbers and ETRs to fluctuate. The numbers can go up and down as an ongoing storm causes new outages or as we de-energize lines to make conditions safe for repairs and restoration. Additionally, new outages may occur that are separate from storm-related outages.

The following graphic illustrates RIE’s storm restoration process:

Additionally, RIE understands that with recent severe winter weather, extreme cold, and increased energy usage, affordability is top of mind. Customers are encouraged to explore RIEnergy.com/toolkit and take advantage of the various programs and services to help save energy, manage bills, and access financial assistance.

RIE offers the following tips and reminders:

Customers Should Stay Connected:  

• Report power outages at RIEnergy.com/outage or call our Contact Center at 1-855-743-1101.
• Use your mobile device to report an outage by texting OUTAGE to 743674 and text STATUS to 743674 to check on the status of your outage.
• Follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram to stay connected with the latest storm and restoration updates.
• Find restoration updates and view outages in your area by checking the RIE Outage Map.
• Learn more about the restoration process.

Downed Powerline Safety:

• Never touch downed power lines and always assume that any fallen lines are live electric wires. If you see one, report it immediately to RIE or your local emergency response organization. 
• Stay at least 30 feet away (at least two full pole spans) from all downed wires and keep others from going near them. Never attempt to clear debris, perform maintenance, or try to move downed power lines. 
• Never touch a person or an object that is in contact with a downed line, as electricity can pass through to you.
• Take caution when approaching fallen trees, which could have power lines caught in them.
• Remember that water can conduct electricity. If you see a line down in a puddle or flooded area, avoid contact with the water to prevent risk of shock.
• Make safety your top priority when you see a downed wire. Call 911 or RIE at 1-855-743-1101 to report it immediately and keep yourself and others away from the scene.

Stay Safe: 

• Power problems can sometimes interrupt public water supply systems or disable well pumps, so it’s an excellent idea to keep a supply of bottled drinking water handy, as well as some canned food.
• People who depend on electric-powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should let RIE know. To register as a life support customer, call the company’s Contact Center at 1-855-743-1101.
• Check on elderly family members, neighbors, and others who may need assistance during an outage.
• If the power is out, use flashlights or other battery-powered lights - do not use candles, which can pose a fire hazard.
• Please use caution when driving near emergency responders and crews restoring power.

Gas Safety:

If you suspect a natural gas leak:

• Get Out - All occupants should leave the house immediately - do not use the telephone or light switches for any reason.
• Call Us - After leaving the house and reaching a safe environment, call the RIE 24-hour gas emergency number for Rhode Island: 1-800-640-1595.
• Stay Out - Do not return to your home until RIE tells you it is safe.

About Rhode Island Energy 

Rhode Island Energy provides essential energy services to over 770,000 customers across Rhode Island through the delivery of electricity and natural gas. Our team of more than 1,300 employees is dedicated to helping Rhode Island customers and communities thrive, while supporting the transition to a cleaner energy future. Rhode Island Energy is part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) family of companies addressing energy challenges head-on by building smarter, more resilient, and more dynamic power grids and advancing sustainable energy solutions.  

For more information visit www.RIEnergy.com and stay connected on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.