BOSTON -- About 26,000 Massachusetts electric customers are still without power after Tropical Storm Irene.
National Grid reported Friday that nearly 22,000 of its customers are still without electricity.
NStar says less than 4,000 of the homes and businesses it services are powerless Friday.
About 500,000 customers statewide lost power during when Irene hit last Sunday.
The utilities have been subject to intense criticism from politicians and homeowners who say their response times were slow and their outreach efforts to customers poor.
The companies have responded by saying Irene was an unusual weather event and their crews have been working around the clock to restore power.
Braintree, Vermont - The residents of Riford Brook Road in Braintree, Vermont are doing what they can to access the outside world.
During Sunday's storm, the river rose, taking out the only bridge into the neighborhood.
It also washed out much of the street.
"The road doesn't even exist, all it is culverts, with nothing around them. Big rocks, trees are in road," said Bruce Tabor.
Tabor has spent the past few days checking in on his fellow neighbors.
With his truck he is barely able to make it a few miles down the road.
"We've been having meetings at 10 o'clock. Everybody gets together and sees if anybody has any needs, like any medications, ice, food," said Tabor.
To reach the other side, they have to climb ladders.
But three days after Irene came through, many say they've received no help from the government.
"Unless you got a generator, which we don't have, we don't have access to. You can't take showers, wash dishes," said Terri Kavanaugh.
Wednesday, Vermont Emergency Management officials say they've added Braintree to their list.
The river didn't just destroy roads and bridges.
It also washed away what used to be a two story home.
"We could hear it kind of crunching and next thing you know, in she went and broke up into a 100 pieces like nothing," said David Atkinson.
Atkinson had been living in his home for more than a decade.
At 70 years old, he says there is no way there is any hope of restoring it.
"I mean I lay in bed at night thinking all things that I don't have now."
But he says at least he's does have the rest of his life to look forward to.
Chris Regnier
Reporter
7:16 AM CDT, August 29, 2011
EAST ST. LOUIS, IL (KTVI - FOX2now.com)
There have been big time power outages along the East Coast from Hurricane Irene and Ameren crews from both sides of the river are stepping up to help. More than 150 Ameren workers from the St. Louis area are on the East Coast. A lot are from Ameren Illinois.
And they're using big trucks to try and maneuver through the stormy conditions. There are around 100 Ameren Illinois workers in Vermont. Most of them are line crews. More than two dozen of them are from the Metro East.
The conditions in Vermont are simply horrible. Torrential rains and heavy winds from what was Hurricane Irene left behind incredible flooding and massive power outages. It’s so bad that the emergency operations center in Vermont had to move because it flooded.
The 100 Ameren Illinois workers left Friday and arrived in Vermont Saturday ahead of the storm. They're having a tough time restoring power because of the conditions. Ameren Missouri sent 63 workers yesterday to New Jersey. Fifty-seven of those are line workers.
As far as how long the workers will be deployed, authorities told the Ameren Illinois workers to pack for three weeks.
Heavy rain is causing power outages throughout Vermont.
As of 10 a.m. Sunday, over 6,000 customers are without power. The bulk of those outages are in Orange, Windsor and Rutland counties.
Vermont's utilities brought in hundreds of out-of-state workers from as far away as Illinois, Texas, Missouri and Canada to help with restoration efforts after Hurricane Irene hits the state. The utilities put out a joint statement Saturday saying the effort is the most extensive collaborative preparation they can recall.
They note that residents that lose power Sunday should be aware that in most circumstances, crews will not be attempting to restore power during the height of the storm.
Although crews will respond to emergencies, utilities will wait until the storm has passed, which is expected to happen Monday morning.
For the latest information on outages, click here.
Waterbury, Vermont - Vermont Emergency staff members are preparing to deal with any problems caused by Hurricane Irene.
They also say people should expect flooding and power outages.
This could be the first hurricane in more than a decade to cause significant damage in Vermont. But because it's been so long emergency workers are concerned many Vermonters won't take the warnings seriously.
A high-tech conference room in Waterbury could turn into a command center this weekend if Hurricane Irene impacts the state.
"If this track stays as it is we will be very busy in here," says Peter Coffey, Vermont Department of Public Safety.
Coffey says from this room people from the National Guard to the governor's office will help coordinate a statewide response to the storm.
"We have put our swift water rescue teams on alert. They are prepared to go anywhere they need to be," says Coffey.
Coffey says they are concerned about heavy rain and flooding. Also damaging winds could knock out power to thousands of people for up to a week.
That's why the American Red Cross says you should be prepared.
"One is to build a kit. The second is to make a plan and the third is to stay informed," says Doug Bishop, American Red Cross.
Bishop says people should have supplies to go several days without food or power.
"When you make a kit you have to have a couple basic things in there. You want to make sure you have water. That you have a flashlight. That you have some emergency food supplies," says Bishop.
2011 American Red Cross Hurricane Safety Checklist
But Public Safety's Peter Coffey worries many Vermonters won't prepare for the hurricane.
"People just don't believe it's going to happen or it's going to be that bad," says Coffey.
So he has this simple advice.
"Worry about it," says Coffey.
Vermont Emergency Management's preparedness instructions include: