Customers are encouraged to prepare for rain and strong winds Saturday evening

ORANGE, Conn. - June 5, 2026 - A chance of thunderstorms for Saturday evening could bring rain and strong winds, and United Illuminating (UI), a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc., is prepared and fully staffed to respond in the event of power outages.

"We are keeping an eye on the forecast, and UI is prepared for inclement weather across our service area starting tomorrow in the early evening," said Angela Baccaro, UI spokesperson. "As we enter the season of summer storms, we ask customers to use caution and be prepared for potential power outages. The forecast for tomorrow shows a chance of scattered thunderstorms and strong winds with gusts of 40 to 50 MPH. When there are heavy gusting winds, it is important to always stay away from downed wires and assume all downed wires are energized and dangerous."

To help customers prepare for potential power outages, UI has compiled a storm checklist available at Storm Checklist - UI. This checklist includes tips and resources for customers, such as:

Before a Storm:

• Sign up for our free Outage Alerts service. You will automatically receive notifications with the latest information about your power outage.
• Keep long-lasting LED flashlights and lanterns on hand, along with a battery-operated radio, fresh batteries, drinking water, non-perishable foods and prescription medications.
• Fully charge mobile devices and store emergency contacts in memory.
• Fuel vehicles and fill spare fuel tanks for generators.

Safety Tips

• Stay far away from downed wires and anything that may be in contact with them. Report downed wires and other electrical hazards to UI at 800-722-5584.
• If a downed wire comes in contact with your vehicle, stay inside, call 911 and wait for help. If you must get out because of fire or other danger, avoid making contact with the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Jump clear of the vehicle, land with your feet together, and hop away with both feet together, or shuffle away without lifting your feet. Don't run or stride.
• If you suspect a natural gas leak, call the emergency number listed on your gas company's website. (For Southern Connecticut Gas, call 800.513.8898; for Connecticut Natural Gas, call 866.924.5325).

 
Report an Outage

• To report an outage, visit uinet.com  or call 800-722-5584 (800.7.CALL.UI).
• Report outages using the company's new mobile app, available from the Apple Store and Google Play.
• Report outages via UI's mobile alerts system: text "OUT" to 839-884 (TEXT-UI). Registration is required.

Additional storm readiness and safety information

• Visit UI online at uinet.com.
• Find UI on  facebook.com/unitedilluminating .
• Storm relief resources can be found by calling Connecticut's InfoLine at 2-1-1, or by visiting 211ct.org .