Christmas Eve misery level rises as thousands face a second day without power

A downed line on Prospect Hill Road in Lebanon was just one of many that was taken out by a wind and rain storm on Thursday and Friday (Rochester Voice photo)

CONCORD - Almost 80,000 customers in New Hampshire and around 175,000 in Maine, including some 9,000 in the Rochester Voice's coverage area, remain without power today due to downed trees and wires.

Locally, thousands of households sadly remain in the dark on Christmas Eve, including 1,030 in Rochester, 2,418 in Lebanon, Maine, 1,327 in Dover, 347 in Somersworth, 158 in Milton, 171 in Farmington and 1,630 in Berwick, Maine.

The N.H. Department of Safety's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management urges residents and visitors to use caution when driving as many roads are closed from downed trees.

"Never drive around a road closure as there could be live wires in the roadway," said HSEM Director Robert Buxton. "If your area is still without power, make sure to check in on neighbors, especially the elderly and those who may be vulnerable."

To report an outage to CMP call 800.696.8000

In New Hampshire report power outages to your utility provider every 24 hours until it is restored: Eversource 1-800-662-7764 Liberty Utilities 1-855-349-9455 NH Electric Co-Op 1-800-343-6432 Unitil 1-888-301-7700 Buxton also makes the following safety recommendations:

• Stay informed by signing up for NH Alerts and monitoring National Weather Service radio or broadcast weather reports.

• Drivers should be alert for crews clearing debris and use caution.

• Use flashlights, rather than candles, for emergency lighting.

• Do not use a gas range or oven as an alternate source of heat.

• Only use a generator that has been wired to the house electrical service by a professional electrician. • Never run a generator inside a building or in an enclosed space and keep them 10 feet away from buildings with the exhaust pointed away. Learn more about power outage safety at ReadyNH.gov.