Transformer explosion reported as apparent cause of outage in Johnston area
Jan 2018Published 18 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- parts of Johnston, Cranston, North Providence and Providence
- Operator
- National Grid
- What
- Transformer explosion caused power outage
- Injuries
- None reported
- Cause
- Transformer explosion (apparent)
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): National Grid
What happened
A transformer explosion was reported as the apparent cause of a power outage in parts of Johnston, Cranston, North Providence and Providence. Power went out at about 10:30 p.m. on Sunday. National Grid reported no active power outages early the following morning. Damage, injuries and the exact asset were not reported.
Contributing factors
Not reported.
Lessons learned
- A transformer explosion can trigger a sudden outage across several areas, so the operator should inspect the asset as soon as the fault is reported.
- Restoration after a transformer fault must be confirmed directly with the network operator rather than assumed from local supply returning.
More lessons on outages, backup supply and restoration, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Exact asset affected
- Cause of the explosion
- Extent of damage
- Duration of the outage
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Other entries that name Johnston
Published 2026-09-18. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
