CRANSTON, R.I. -- Rhode Island National Grid president Tim Horan said Wednesday that the company has made major progress in restoring power to Rhode Islanders, saying the number of customers still suffering a loss of power has been reduced to less than 40,000.
He predicted the number will be cut by another half, to about 20,000, by Thursday afternoon.
HORAN
He said workers have re-lit pilot lights for 164 of some 480 customers that lost gas service in Newport, and, going door-to-door expect to re-light 102 gas furnaces by Wednesday night. The same procedure, he said, is taking place in the area of Second Street in Westerly, though restoring gas service on the town's Atlantic Avenue is more problematic because so much of the area has been devastated.
He said restoration probably will not begin until the road has been entirely rebuilt and may take a very long time.
Horan said the utility has 88 teams working throughout the state currently and expects to have more teams coming soon, which will be coordinated from command centers in Providence -- responsible for the northern part of the state -- and North Kingstown, which is responsible for southern communities.
Asked if he was satisfied with the pace of restoring power to Rhode Islanders, Chafee said that while progress is being made, "for those without power it isn't fast enough."