MIDDLEBOROUGH — Town Manager Robert Nunes, Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Lance Benjamino, and Police Chief Joseph Perkins would like to provide an update to the Town’s response to the Nor’easter storm.
MGED Continues Restoration and Repairs
As of 2 p.m. Thursday, 23-25% of Middleborough Gas & Electric Department (MGED) customers were without power, in both Middleborough and Lakeville.
Unlike other storms that typically affect a specific area or section of town, this storm caused a significant number of downed trees and damage to powerlines and electrical equipment to the entire MGED service territory of more than 100-square-miles, including all of Middleborough and most of Lakeville.
Repairs to multiple circuits and other pieces of equipment and infrastructure were prioritized today and yesterday, along with public safety buildings and residential areas with a high concentration of customers.
MGED anticipates shifting its focus toward further restoration of power in affected neighborhoods beginning on Friday, Oct. 29, and these efforts will continue into the weekend.
“Everyone has been working very hard over the past 24-48 hours and I want to thank our staff for their continued efforts,” said MGED General Manager Jacqueline Crowley. “I would also like to thank our mutual aid partners who have provided equipment and manpower to assist in the restoration efforts. For those who are still without electricity, we are asking for everyone’s patience and understanding as we diligently work to make repairs.”
Electric mutual aid is being provided by the Wellesley Municipal Light Plant, the Middleton Electric Light Department, Westfield Gas & Electric, and the New Hampshire Electric Co-op, through the Northeast Public Power Association (NEPPA) program.
Residents looking for the latest updates and news on the restoration process should visit the MGED website.
Several Roads Reopened
As of Thursday afternoon, there are only four roads in Middleborough that remain closed:
- Spring Street
- Miller Street
- Chestnut Street
- Purchase Street
Middleborough Department of Public Works Director Christopher Peck would like residents to know that there are some roads in town that still have marked hazards, like downed trees partially obstructing lanes and branches hanging over power lines.
Those roads have signage in place and some roads have been temporarily narrowed to one lane. Residents should use caution when driving down these roads.
“I want to commend our crews who have been working since 4 a.m. Wednesday in helping to clear debris and get roads reopened,” Director Peck said. “At one point we had nearly 30 roads closed Wednesday, and it’s taken a tremendous amount of work and effort to get the roads reopened as quickly as possible.”
DPW crews are out today working to clear debris from sidewalks and other areas and will continue those efforts in the coming days.
Police and Fire Response
Fire Chief Benjamino would like to notify residents that, while there are still some electrical issues being dealt with at Fire Department headquarters after power was lost early Wednesday morning, there has been no disruption to service and the station’s electricity, radios and dispatch are functioning.
Both the police and fire departments received hundreds of calls for service during and after the storm. Chief Benjamino and Chief Perkins are happy to report that they have received no reports of injuries.
Halloween
Town Manager Nunes reports that there will be no impact to Halloween activities on Sunday, Oct. 31.
Families are asked to use caution and avoid any debris or downed trees and branches while out trick-or-treating.
If anyone comes across a downed wire, they are asked to call MGED at 508-947-1371.
“I would like commend everyone who has helped during the response and restoration effort here in Middleborough,” Town Manager Nunes said. “I am proud to see everyone from MGED, DPW, Police, Fire, and other town departments who have all come together to help mitigate the impact of this powerful storm. The amount of work and energy that has gone into the recovery effort thus far has been incredible to see and the commitment and professionalism we have in our town employees is truly unmatched.”
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