Power Outages Could Last Days

Aquidneck Island residents should prepare to be without power for days, said National Grid spokeswoman Charlotte McCormack on Saturday afternoon.

National Grid reports 44,560 out of 45,893 customers are without power in Newport County. In Middletown, 100 percent of the the 7,954 in Middletown are reported to be without power.

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McCormack said three downed transmission lines, which are the backbone of the system, are responsible for a large percentage of the outages.   She said challenging conditions make assessments more difficult, but crews are currently mobilized.  Residents should also be aware of downed wires.

"The storm isn't over yet," she added.   On Saturday morning, Middletown officials reported that plows and National Grid trucks were being delayed by stuck vehicles.  Governor Chafee has announced  a full travel ban on all Rhode Island roads.

The Red Cross opened a regional shelter at the Gaudet Middle School at 1113 Aquidneck Ave, Middletown. Call the Middletown Police Station at 401-846-1104 or Carmela Geer at 401-418-0071 for transportation.   Bring pillows, blankets, chargers and things to occupy your children, said Geer. 

Governor Chaffee had previously declared a travel ban, but now is allowing limited travel to warming shelters. 

On the bright side,  some Portsmouth residents reported their power had been restored around 12:30 p.m. on Saturday on the Middletown Patch Facebook page.