RG&E Recognized for Recovery Efforts Following December 2021 Wind Storm

ROCHESTER, NY — June 22, 2022 — Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), today announced that it has been named Edison Electric Institute (EEI) Emergency Response Award recipient. RG&E received the EEI Emergency Recovery Award for its efforts to restore power to more than 54,000 customers after the December 11, 2021 wind storm.

“Our teams always respond with urgency and efficiency to outages caused by increasingly severe weather events, but the December 2021 storm caused extensive damage to our grid,” said Pedro Azagra, CEO of AVANGRID. “This storm also impacted nearly 172,000 NYSEG customers elsewhere in New York and we relied heavily on contractors and mutual aid resources to ensure our customers were restored as quickly and safely as possible. I’m extremely proud of the way our team has responded to storms, especially those since March 2020. They have been out there every single day working to ensure our customers’ power stays on even when other industries shut down.”

On Saturday, December 11, 2021, a severe wind storm hit New York State after causing devastation and loss of life as a late-season tornado outbreak in the Midwest. Wind gusts in Rochester reached 70+ mph and damage to the electric grid was extensive. On Thursday and Friday before the storm, RG&E had pre-staged additional line and tree crews, including Canadian resources. Damage included more than 600 downed wires and 116 broken poles. Approximately 56,000 customers lost power, many for more than 24 hours. Much of the restoration efforts required crews to work in backlots, which were difficult to access. Crews were setting poles in the backlots overnight so that in the morning, wires could be hung. Additionally, many out of the outages only affected a few customers, which meant that there was a large volume of total incidents. Crews completed restoration of all customers in just under 72 hours.

Presented to EEI member companies, the Emergency Response Awards recognize recovery and assistance efforts of electric companies following service disruptions caused by extreme weather or other natural events. The winners were chosen by a panel of judges following an international nomination process, and the awards were presented during EEI’s Board of Directors meeting on June 21, 2022. RG&E’s sister company New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) also received recognition for its recovery efforts following the April 18, 2022 snowstorm that caused outages for more than 250,000 customers, primarily in the company’s Binghamton and Oneonta divisions.

“Over the past year, electric companies confronted severe storms and extreme weather events, including hurricanes, tornadoes, and winter storms, that impacted customers and communities across the nation,” said EEI President Tom Kuhn. “Despite challenging conditions, RG&E and its employees worked around the clock to restore power safely and as quickly as possible following the December wind storm. I congratulate and applaud RG&E and their employees for their continued dedication to the customers and communities that they serve, and I am honored to present them with this well-deserved award.”

RG&E is making significant investments in its infrastructure, including those that will make the system more resilient against storms. The company is also increasing investments in tree trimming, as more than half of all outages are attributable to trees and branches coming into contact with electric equipment.

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About RG&E: Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E) is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. Established in 1848, RG&E operates approximately 8,800 miles of electric distribution lines and 1,100 miles of electric transmission lines. It also operates approximately 10,600 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines and 105 miles of gas transmission pipelines. It serves approximately 378,500 electricity customers and 313,000 natural gas customers in a nine-county region in New York surrounding the City of Rochester. For more information, visit rge.com. 

About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $39 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 7,000 people and has been recognized by Forbes and Just Capital as one of the 2021 JUST 100 companies - a list of America's best corporate citizens - and was ranked number one within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2021 for the third consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit avangrid.com.

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