Out-of-state linemen help speed restorations

Kevin Jezouit, on ground, and James Willard, of Conn. Light and Power Local 420, Simsbury, work to restore power along Farmington Road in Rochester on Friday. (Lebanon Voice/Harrison Thorp photo)

About 800 York County households were still without power, including an estimated 300 in Lebanon today as CMP crews got ahead of earlier projections after a state of emergency declared by Gov. LePage allowed Canadian line workers to assist in the restorations.

Large swaths of Lebanon went back online Friday evening as power crews fought the power-restoration equivalent of urban street fighting implementing a street by street search and restore mission on lines damaged by downed limbs and trees from the Thanksgiving Eve storm.

Meanwhile, in Rochester and Milton about 2,000 were still reported without power today. PSNH has estimated it will have the majority of users back online over the weekend with the last restorations planned for Monday, the same day CMP has promised everyone will be back online.

CMP spokesman Gail Rice said these final three days will be focused on properties on seasonal roads, peninsulas, islands and other hard-to-reach locations.

On Friday Rochester Middle School was set up as a shelter but closed early due to no demand, while Lebanon Town Offices were expected to be open until midnight, according to Selectmen Chairman Ben Thompson.