University | 5:44 pm | October 29, 2012 | By

UPDATED: Parts of campus may lose power

Professors have needed to adjust their course schedules in response to the University's decision to cancel classes during Hurricane Sandy.
Professors have needed to adjust their course schedules in response to the University's decision to cancel classes during Hurricane Sandy. Photo by Jacob Geiger.

As wind gusts in Connecticut reach 90 mph this evening, there is a possibility that certain areas of campus will lose power, according to Vice President Linda Lorimer.

Timothy Dwight College Master Jeffrey Brenzel and Jonathan Edwards College Master Penelope Laurans sent emails after 5 p.m. to students living in their residential colleges advising those Yalies to eat in the dining halls soon in the event of a power outage.

“Those who can get to the dining hall through the basement: Please EAT EARLY, as in now,” wrote Laurans. “We are in unprecedented territory here. It is unlikely- but not impossible – that we might have a few areas where we lose power. So you would help a lot if you would go over and get some food now and then go back and snuggle up in your rooms and suites.”

Conn. Gov. Dannel Malloy tweeted around 3 p.m. that Connecticut residents who lose power should not expect it to be restored quickly.

“Utility crews cannot risk lives to fix power during storm. If you lose power, plan for it to be out throughout duration of storm,” he wrote.

Lorimer sent an email to the Yale community at 6:20 p.m. Monday night warning students of the possibility of a power outage. Read the text of her email below:

I just wanted to alert you that there is a scenario in which Yale could lose much of its electrical power during the storm or even after it: United Illuminating (the public utility serving the county) has the right to decrease the power that it provides to Yale if UI loses enough power to enough other customers. I do not want to create unnecessary worry, but I do want you to be alerted to this possibility. (Please note that this same possibility existed with Hurricane Irene last year and UI did not need to tap the Yale power. Greater outages around the county could, however, require them to come our way.)

If there is power loss, the entryways and stairwells have emergency lighting. I think many of you have smart phones that can effectively serve as lights. And you might want to add a flashlight app if you don’t have one. Please don’t use candles since they can be a real hazard.

Let us hope we do not have this kind of an adventure! This is yet another reason to stay close to your room—and charge your phones/computer now. NOTE: IF WE GET ANY PRIOR NOTICE THAT POWER WILL BE INTERRUPTED, WE WILL SEND A YALE ALERT VOICE AND TEXT MESSAGE.

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