Farmington New Hampshire Police Department

 February Wind Storm 2010
                  Outage Update #4 – 02/26/2010 4:30 p.m.

 MANCHESTER, N.H. – Feb. 26, 2010 – As of 4:30 p.m., PSNH reports that
 approximately 265,000 PSNH customers (54 percent) are without power as a
 result of the devastating wind storm that belted through New York and New
 England last night.

 Although power outages are widespread throughout the state, the Seacoast
 and Southern regions of New Hampshire were hit hardest by this storm.
 Wind speeds above 60 mph were recorded in both regions, with gusts
 reaching 91 mph in Portsmouth, NH.

 Given the number of outages and road closures, the amount of tree and
 branch debris that must be cleared before power can be restored, and
 PSNH’s ongoing assessment of the damage, customers are asked to prepare
 for what will be a multi-day power restoration effort. For information on
 shelters and other assistance, customers are encouraged to call 211.

 Reinforcements on Their Way to NH
 PSNH currently has about 266 line and tree-trimming crews working to
 assess damage, clear debris, and restore power, up from 145 crews at 10
 a.m. this morning. Crews have arrived throughout the day from PSNH’s
 sister utility, Connecticut Light & Power, as well as multiple
 contractors.

 An additional 310 crews will arrive from Maryland, Michigan, and
 Pennsylvania within 24 hours.  Crews will be working around-the-clock to
 restore service as quickly as possible.

 Power Restoration Priorities
 The first priority for PSNH is to restore power to customers in emergency
 situations. This typically includes hospitals, nursing homes, police and
 fire stations, and customers on life-support systems. Major circuits and
 lines serving the largest concentrations of people are repaired next.
 Once the major lines are repaired, lines feeding off of these circuits
 can be repaired.

 Another priority for PSNH crews is removing wires from downed trees that
 are blocking roadways, so that communities can safely clear the debris
 and open up the roads for use by residents and emergency vehicles.
 Customers should be extremely cautious around downed power lines and/or
 damaged electrical equipment. Always assume downed wires are energized,
 even if they appear to be “dead,” and notify PSNH of their location
 immediately at 1-800-662-7764.

 Install Generators Correctly to Avoid Potentially Fatal Hazards
 PSNH reminds customers that it is critical for their safety and the
 safety of line workers repairing the electrical system that portable
 generators be installed correctly. Generators must be properly ventilated
 to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, and should never be refueled while in
 operation.

 To protect line workers, a generator should only be attached to the house
 wiring and be completely isolated from the utility supply. Without proper
 isolation, power that is being generated through the home could also feed
 into the PSNH electrical system and possibly electrocute a neighbor or a
 utility worker. Please take care when installing a portable generator.
 For more generator safety tips, visit
 www.psnh.com/Residential/SafetyCenter/Generators.asp.

 Photos taken today illustrate some of the storm damage in the 03101 area:
 http://bit.ly/aBCXNb

 More information on power outages and storm restoration is available on
 the company’s website at www.psnh.com/stormsafety.

 For the most recent information, please follow @psnh on Twitter:
 http://twitter.com/psnh. Additional information will be provided
 throughout the day.