National Grid Thanks Partners For Storm Response

To the editor: This week, National Grid sent letters to leaders on Nantucket and at the
Steamship Authority to express our appreciation for their extraordinary support and
partnership during February’s historic winter storm.

We extend that thanks to our customers across Nantucket for their patience as our crews worked through heavy, wet snow, freezing temperatures, and hazardous winds that created exceptionally challenging restoration conditions. On Nantucket, wind gusts exceeded 80 miles per hour, the strongest seen on the island in decades, underscoring the severity of the event and the complexity of the response.

Early response efforts appropriately focused on public safety, including prioritizing 911 and wires down calls and addressing hazards as conditions allowed. As conditions improved, crews were able to shift fully into restoration, a transition that would not have been possible on Nantucket without the flexibility, responsiveness, and commitment of our partners to support emergency operations.

We are especially grateful for the Steamship Authority’s assistance transporting more than 40 restoration crews to the island under challenging conditions. Dave Kelly, the Hyannis Terminal Manager, played an instrumental role in helping move our personnel and equipment to Nantucket, taking calls at all hours and working closely with our teams to devise a plan of attack as conditions evolved.

As restoration efforts wound down, Rich Marshall, the Nantucket Terminal Manager, was equally critical, working collaboratively to demobilize crews and equipment and help return assets off island as quickly and safely as possible.

During the storm, more than 12,300 customers on Nantucket were interrupted, with full restoration completed over the course of three days once conditions allowed restoration to begin. That progress reflects advance planning, pre-staged crews, close coordination with local partners, and continued investments in grid modernization and vegetation management. Automated technology restored power within minutes for more than 12,000 customers during the storm, allowing crews to focus on the hardest hit areas, including island communities.

Effective collaboration does not happen overnight. It is built through year-round
relationships, planning, and preparation, all with the shared goal of restoring service safely and as quickly as conditions allow so families can return to heat and hot water, businesses can reopen, and communities can move forward.

Thank you again to the Town of Nantucket, the Steamship Authority, and the entire
community for your leadership, partnership, and responsiveness on our storm response.

We welcome the community’s feedback as we continue to strengthen our
coordination moving forward.

Lisa Wieland, President, National Grid New England

Chris Laird, Chief Operating Officer, National Grid New England Electric