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When a major disaster strikes, electric and natural gas crews from the NU system are often found restoring service to the customers of another utility. The principle that brings our crews to their assistance also promises help when disaster strikes at home.
Mutual aid is a compact made between energy utilities to provide personnel, equipment and other assistance during emergencies when doing so does not risk energy reliability for their own customers. This reciprocal agreement allows utilities to receive critical resources to address infrequent but overwhelming service needs without the cost of maintaining these additional resources year-round.
Because neighboring utilities in an affected regions may be similarly impacted, the nearest available help is often hundreds of miles away. Because of this and their reputation for swift and safe restorations, NU system crews are often in demand when hurricanes and other major disasters strike the nation.
Mutual aid crews (two- and three-member teams and support personnel) may drive more than a day in their vehicles to reach a restoration site, and be separated from their families for days or weeks. The utility being assisted provides food, lodging and wages for these workers. In the event of lengthy restorations, NU may send replacement restoration workers to allow employees to come home.
- November 2005: 37 NU crews from CL&P, WMECO and PSNH travel to Florida to assist Florida Light & Power following Hurricane Wilma.
- Fall 2005: In Yankee Gas’ first out-of-state restoration, dozens of workers rebuild the municipal natural gas distribution system in Pascagoula, Mississippi, following Hurricane Katrina from September through mid-November.
- September 2005: 25 NU line crews from CL&P and WMECO assist Mississippi Power for one week following Hurricane Katrina.
- July 2005: 38 NU line crews and 15 damage assessment teams from CL&P, WMECO and PSNH assist Gulf Power in Destin and Clearview, Florida, for one week following Hurricane Dennis.
- January 2005: 28 NU crews from CL&P, WMECO and PSNH assist Metropolitan Edison for three days in Pennsylvania after an ice storm.
- December 2004: 27 NU crews from CL&P, WMECO and PSNH assist NStar for two days in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, after a heavy snowstorm.
- September 2004: 40 NU crews from CL&P, WMECO and PSNH spent over a month in Florida assisting Florida Light & Power following Hurricanes Jeanne and Frances, and assisting Gulf Power following Hurricane Ivan.
Learn more about our crews' efforts  (3.3 MB)
- September 2003: 105 NU crews from CL&P, WMECO and PSNH crews help Pepco restore power for four days in Maryland and Virginia following Hurricane Isabel.
- April 2003: 82 NU crews from CL&P, WMECO and PSNH assist New York State Electric and Gas and Rochester Gas & Electric for a week following an ice storm.
- Fall 1998: In four waves of deployments over two months, NU crews traveled to Puerto Rico to restore power after Hurricane George.
- September 1998: More than 150 NU workers from CL&P, WMECO and PSNH assisted Niagara Mohawk after a severe thunderstorm.
- January 1998: Approximately 250 NU linemen and support personnel went to Canada to help restore power from the Ontario border to towns east of Montreal following a catastrophic ice storm that destroyed much of Hydro-Quebec’s distribution and transmission systems.
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