NYSEG and RG&E Win Electric Industry Award for Storm Response

The award from Edison Electric Institute recognizes the hard work of field crews, support teams, and general excellence in emergency management


BINGHAMTON, NY — June 21, 2024 — The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) recognized New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) at its annual conference with the Emergency Recovery Award for the Companies’ response to Winter Storm Finn, which struck the state in January 2024.

Winter Storm Finn brought high winds to Upstate New York, causing outages in NYSEG’s Geneva, Auburn, Lancaster, Mechanicville, and Ithaca divisions, and snapping poles and bringing down trees in RG&E’s Central and Fillmore divisions as well.

“At Avangrid, we take pride in being leaders in safe, efficient and coordinated efforts to restore power to our customers after extreme storms like the ones New York experienced this past winter,” said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “As part of the Iberdrola Group, we have industry-leading access to global supply chains for transformers and other materials as well as cutting edge technology and resources to confront challenges, including those presented by climate change.”

“Our customers count on us to be first responders during New York’s sometimes wild weather, restoring power safely, effectively, and as quickly as possible,” said Trish Nilsen, president and CEO of NYSEG and RG&E. “Our commitment to our customers, our communities, and operational excellence are recognized by this award, but this critical work is a priority for us because electric and natural gas service is something they rely on.”

NYSEG and RG&E focus daily on preparing for the ever-stronger weather systems that are impacting Upstate New York. This includes regular emergency planning exercises and weekly touchpoints for our electric and gas operations and control center teams, and grid modernization efforts, like replacing 45,000 poles across the state in the next few years. 

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