Planned power outage will impact hundreds in Academy, Charles Street area

ROCHESTER - Rochester residents in the area of Charles and Academy streets should plan to be without power for about five hours a week from today.

That's because Eversource will be rebuilding its Twombly Street substation between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., part of a planned upgrade that will enhance reliability and help to meet the area's increasing power demands, said media relations senior specialist Kaitlyn Woods.

Woods said if all goes well, the outage could last less than the five hours, but planners wanted to err on the side of caution regarding the timeframe.

According to Accuweather, next Thursday's forecast is for temps in the mid-80s with a slight chance for a thunderstorm.

Woods said that if severe weather is present, the substation work will be pushed back to the next day, but there were no heat parameters, alone, that would dictate a postponement.

Woods said letters had been mailed to all 336 customers who will be affected so they can make any necessary plans.

Customers will also get a reminder call 24 hours prior to the start of the scheduled outage.

During the outage six crews will be working to complete the upgrades.

In a statement sent The Rochester Voice Woods said she appreciates that "being without power is challenging for our customers, especially those who use medical devices that require electricity and those who are most vulnerable to the dangers of heat.

"The upgrades we are completing will harden our electric system and help to ensure that we are able to continue delivering the reliable power our customers depend on when demand for electricity peaks during the hot summer months."

She encouraged customers impacted by the outage to take steps to prepare and put a plan in place if they will need to find an alternate location during those hours to keep cool or to power a medical device. Additionally, she recommends checking on elderly neighbors and family members who are more likely to be affected by the heat.