Rhode Island Energy power outages
Rhode Island Energy (formerly National Grid's Rhode Island utility, owned by PPL since 2022) serves about 510,000 customers in Rhode Island. Its official outage map is the quickest way to see whether an outage is already known where you are.
Open the Rhode Island Energy outage mapOfficial Rhode Island Energy link, checked by hand. PreparedStates isn't affiliated with Rhode Island Energy.
- Out now (DOE)
- Map onlyRhode Island Energy isn't on DOE's ODIN outage feed, so its map is the only live count.
- Hours without power, 2025
- 3per customer (US average 4.4)
- Worst year since 2015
- 201712.1 hours per customer; 5.3 a year on average
Customers out: DOE / Oak Ridge ODIN, rechecked hourly. Hours: what Rhode Island Energy reports to the EIA (Form 861).
Reporting, medical equipment and claims: what Rhode Island Energy says
- Report an outage online or by textReport it on Rhode Island Energy's website, or text OUTAGE to 743674 (RIEMSG). To check the status of an existing outage, text STATUS to 743674. You can also sign up for its outage alerts. Report an outage →
- Downed power line: 1-855-743-1101If you see a downed power line, Rhode Island Energy says to stay away and call 1-855-743-1101.
- Smell gas? Get out firstIf you suspect a gas leak, Rhode Island Energy says to leave the premises immediately, taking everyone with you including pets, and from a safe distance call 911 or Rhode Island Energy at 1-800-640-1595.
- Life-sustaining medical equipmentIf someone in your home relies on life-sustaining medical equipment, call Rhode Island Energy at 855-743-1101 to join its Notice of Life-Sustaining Equipment list.
- Outages by townRhode Island Energy's outage map shows how many outages are in and around your area, with restoration estimates. The time listed is when the last person in your town, area or village will have power back; for your own estimate, sign in to your Rhode Island Energy account. Open the outage map →
- The order crews restore powerFirst, downed wires are made safe and roads made accessible to crews and the public. Crews then repair transmission lines and substations that serve critical customers such as hospitals, public safety facilities and water treatment facilities, and at the same time start on substations and main lines that serve many customers. Neighborhood lines and transformers come next, starting with areas that affect the most customers, and finally individual customers are reconnected. Rhode Island Energy's restoration process →
- Damage claims and generatorsRhode Island Energy says it doesn't reimburse customers for property damage caused by storms or acts of nature, or when it has to turn power off for public safety: check your own insurance. It doesn't supply generators; it says local fire departments sometimes may, so ask yours. Rhode Island Energy's outage questions →
- Who runs itRhode Island Energy is The Narragansett Electric Company, which PPL Corporation bought from National Grid in May 2022 and rebranded as Rhode Island Energy. It delivers both electricity and natural gas. PPL calls it Rhode Island's primary electric and gas utility; the Pascoag Utility District and the Block Island Utility District are separate utilities, so customers there contact their own utility. PPL's announcement →
- A complaint that isn't resolvedContact Rhode Island Energy first. If that doesn't settle it, the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission explains how to file a complaint, including an online complaint form. How to file a complaint (RIPUC) →
From Rhode Island Energy's own pages, checked Nov 4, 2026. Numbers can change: the one on your bill is current.
Check your ZIP code
See which utility serves you, open its outage map, and check the weather alerts there right now.
Utility by ZIP: NREL/OpenEI (2024), from EIA data, CC BY 4.0; county utilities: EIA Form 861 service territories. A ZIP's utilities are the likely ones, not a guarantee.
How long Rhode Island Energy outages last
In 2025, the average Rhode Island Energy customer was without power for about 3 hours in total, 1 hours of it outside major events such as big storms, by the reliability figures it reports to the US Energy Information Administration. The US average was 4.4 hours. That ranks 21st for fewest hours among the 49 big utilities with a page here. How every state compares →
| Year | Hours without power | Outside major events |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1.7 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1.7 | 0.9 |
| 2022 | 1.4 | 1.1 |
| 2021 | 7.5 | 1.1 |
| 2020 | 9.1 | 1.2 |
| 2019 | 3.9 | 1.1 |
| 2018 | 9.9 | 1.1 |
| 2017 | 12.1 | 1 |
| 2016 | 2.8 | 1.2 |
| 2015 | 5.7 | 1.1 |
Hours per customer per year (SAIDI), customer-weighted across Rhode Island Energy's companies, EIA Form 861 Reliability. A year is left out if its reporting changed too much to compare.
Where Rhode Island Energy serves
| State | Company | Share of customers | Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Energy | 99% | Map → |
Share of each state's electricity customers, EIA Form 861 (2024 data). Tap a state for its other utilities, weather alerts and hazards.
Rhode Island at a glance
- Rhode Island: the average customer across all the state's utilities was without power for 3.1 hours in 2025 (Rhode Island Energy: 3). FEMA's biggest natural hazards there by expected annual loss: inland flooding and hurricane.
State hours: EIA Electric Power Annual, Table 11.4. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index. Each state page has live weather alerts.
Reporting an outage and reading the map
- Report it, even if the street is dark. Use Rhode Island Energy's outage page linked above, or the outage number on your bill. The map only shows outages Rhode Island Energy knows about.
- A fallen power line is a separate report. Tell Rhode Island Energy straight away and keep clear: the CDC says never touch a fallen power line, and don't drive through standing water if lines are down in it.
- "Customers out" counts meters, not people. One customer is one account, usually a home or a business, so more people are affected than the number shows. DOE's figures count the same way.
- Restoration times are estimates. They are Rhode Island Energy's best guess and can move as crews assess damage, so plan for longer.
What to do in a power outage
- Before: list what needs electricity, keep a flashlight for every person, and ask your provider for a plan for powered medical devices and cold medicines.
- During: keep the fridge and freezer closed, unplug appliances, and use flashlights instead of candles.
- Use generators, camp stoves and grills only outdoors, at least 20 feet from windows. Keep generators that far from doors and vents too.
- After: throw out fridge perishables after 4 hours without power or a cold source, and check refrigerated medicines.
The full power outage checklist, sourced to Ready.gov and the CDC.
Gear for the next outage, compared
Size your backup power
- What will it run? Runtimes for every power station and generator we compare.
- What size generator do you need? The wattage calculator.
Questions
How do I check for a Rhode Island Energy power outage?
Use Rhode Island Energy's official outage map, linked at the top of this page, or type your ZIP code into the check on this page to find your utility's map and the weather alerts where you are.
How long do Rhode Island Energy customers go without power?
In 2025, the average Rhode Island Energy customer was without power for about 3 hours in total, 1 hours of it outside major events such as big storms, by the reliability figures it reports to the US Energy Information Administration. Any single outage can be shorter or longer.
Are Rhode Island Energy outages getting longer?
By the figures it reports to the US Energy Information Administration, the average Rhode Island Energy customer was without power for 3 hours in 2025, 1.7 hours in 2024, 1.7 hours in 2023. Since 2015 it has averaged 5.3 hours a year; its worst year was 2017, at 12.1 hours. Big storms drive most of the swings: outside major events it was 1 hours in 2025.
Does Rhode Island Energy report outages to the Department of Energy?
Not at the moment: Rhode Island Energy isn't on the list of utilities sharing outage data with the Department of Energy's ODIN feed, so the only live count of Rhode Island Energy outages is its own outage map, linked at the top of this page.
How do I report a Rhode Island Energy outage?
Report it on Rhode Island Energy's website or text OUTAGE to 743674, even if neighbors are out too. Text STATUS to 743674 to check the status of an existing outage. For a downed power line, stay away and call 1-855-743-1101.
What does the number of customers out mean?
Outage maps and the Department of Energy's figures count customers, and a customer is one electric account or meter, usually a home or a business, so more people are affected than the number shows. Restoration times on the map are Rhode Island Energy's estimates and can change as crews assess damage.
What should I do when the power goes out?
During: keep the fridge and freezer closed, unplug appliances, and use flashlights instead of candles. Use generators, camp stoves and grills only outdoors, at least 20 feet from windows. Keep generators that far from doors and vents too.
Can I see Rhode Island power outages by town?
Yes. Rhode Island Energy's outage map shows outages in and around your area with restoration estimates, and the time listed is when the last person in your town, area or village will have power back. Sign in to your Rhode Island Energy account for the estimate for your own address.
Is Rhode Island Energy the same as National Grid?
It used to be part of National Grid. PPL Corporation bought The Narragansett Electric Company from National Grid in May 2022 and rebranded it as Rhode Island Energy, so its customers now use Rhode Island Energy's outage map and numbers, not National Grid's.
Other utilities
Sources (12)
- Rhode Island Energy: Outages and Safetyreport lines, gas leaks, life-sustaining equipment
- Rhode Island Energy: Our Restoration Process
- Rhode Island Energy: Frequently Asked Outage Questions
- PPL Corporation: PPL completes acquisition of Rhode Island's primary electric and natural gas utility (May 25, 2022)
- Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission: How to file a complaint
- US Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861: reliability (SAIDI) and customers by utility
- NREL / OpenEI: U.S. Electric Utility Companies and Rates, Look-up by Zip Code (2024), CC BY 4.0
- US Department of Energy / Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ODIN participating utilities
- National Weather Service active alerts (api.weather.gov)
- US Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Annual, Table 11.4: hours without power (SAIDI) by state
- FEMA National Risk Index, state Expected Annual Loss
- CDC: what to do to protect yourself during a power outage