News Releases

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (September 28, 2026) – Rhode Island Energy (RIE) has restored power to more than 50,000 customers impacted following severe conditions brought by a September nor’easter.

Throughout the storm, RIE deployed more than 270 crew members and field personnel across the state to assess damage, clear debris, and restore power amid severe conditions. Heavy rain and wind gusts reaching up to 55 mph knocked down trees, damaged power lines, and caused substantial damage. The hardest-hit areas include Scituate, South Kingstown, Cumberland, and Coventry.

While challenging conditions throughout the weekend made it difficult for crews to restore power in many areas, RIE successfully restored power to all customers impacted by the September nor’easter in under 48 hours.

During this restoration, RIE crews responded to more than 270 vegetation-related outages, removing trees and limbs that damaged electric assets; over 150 wires-down 911 calls; and replaced 20 broken poles. RIE crews were supported by hundreds of back-office employees who helped with the storm response in various critical roles.

"Our crews and employees once again demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our customers and communities during this storm," said Joe Curley, Vice President of Electric Operations at RIE. "Despite challenging weather conditions and substantial damage across the state, our crews worked around the clock to restore power safely and efficiently. The strength of our response is supported by the investments we continue to make in our electric system, helping improve reliability and resilience when severe weather strikes. We thank our customers for their patience and support and recognize the extraordinary efforts of our employees and crew members who helped restore service."

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.