Power outages impact 6,000 Lakes Region customers Wednesday morning

An unknown problem caused thousands to lose power throughout the Lakes Region on Wednesday morning.

Numerous reports of power outages across Laconia and in Belmont and Tilton came through between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Wednesday morning. 

An issue with the local power system caused an outage for approximately 6,000 customers Wednesday morning, Eversource spokesperson William Hinkle wrote in an email. 

Power to all customers was restored within about 30 minutes, and the power company had crews working to determine the cause of the outage as of 11 a.m. 

A coverage map of New Hampshire Electric Co-op customers showed no outages on Wednesday. 

At the end of June, Eversource told customers high temperatures and humidity, brought about by heat waves, tend to result in an increase of energy use to the tune of about 20% across New Hampshire. Customers can use fans and air conditioners to keep their homes cool. 

“While high electricity usage during a heat wave can put a strain on the electric system, the energy company is prepared to meet the increased demand and its crews are ready to respond to any outages or issues that may arise,” a June 20 corporate communication reads, in part. “Eversource system operators are constantly monitoring the system and are ready to reroute power and shift other resources as necessary.”

Bob Coats, Eversource's president of New Hampshire electric operations, wrote that during periods of extreme heat, the company conducts regular ground and aerial inspections of the electric distribution system so they’re able to detect and address issues as they arise.

Customers can attempt to manage their energy usage during summer by keeping air conditioners running warm, keeping air vents and heat pumps clear of obstructions, operating major appliances only early in the morning or late in the evening, keeping blinds closed, setting ceiling fans to rotate counterclockwise and grilling outside rather than indoors.