NEW YORK (Reuters) – Energy firms along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard scrambled on Monday to resume operations after Hurricane Irene that left 5.5 million customers without electric power.

Utility firms whose transmission lines were battered by the storm, which hit over the weekend, faced the most daunting workload ahead, with millions of homes and businesses from North Carolina to Maine still cut off. Crews said the work would take days, and up to weeks in the hardest-hit zones, as they dealt with flooding and debris.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Hurricane Irene knocked out power to 2.5 million homes and businesses, forced two nuclear plants to shut and idled oil ports and refining as it advanced towards New York City early on Sunday.

Mid-Atlantic coast states reported more power losses even as the hurricane spun northward and blackouts in Delaware, New Jersey and New York jumped.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Hurricane Irene knocked out power to 1.8 million homes and businesses, disrupted oil refineries and forced nuclear plants to reduce power as it barreled toward New York City.

As the Southeast made small progress toward restoring power as Irene spun northward, blackouts in Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey jumped.

NEW YORK, Aug 28 (Reuters) – Hurricane Irene knocked out
power to 1.8 million homes and businesses, disrupted oil
refineries and forced nuclear plants to reduce power as it
barrelled toward New York City.

As the Southeast made small progress toward restoring power
as Irene spun northward, blackouts in Delaware, Maryland and
New Jersey jumped.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Energy companies on Friday activated emergency plans as the densely populated U.S. East Coast braced for blackouts from Hurricane Irene that could affect millions.

Oil refineries in the U.S. Northeast scaled back operations and pipeline operators warned of potential delays for fuel distribution. The Coast Guard said it had no plans yet to shut the New York Harbor, but energy traders said delays could affect the delivery hub for millions of barrels a day in crude and oil products, by pipeline, barge and ship.

NEW YORK, Aug 26 (Reuters) – The densely populated U.S.
Northeast braced for blackouts from Hurricane Irene and energy
firms activated emergency plans, warning of disruptions ahead
even as many continued to operate normally on Friday.

The Coast Guard said it had no immediate plan to shut the
New York Harbor, a delivery hub for millions of barrels a day
in crude and oil products. The hub handles shipments from
ships, barges and pipelines.

NEW YORK, Aug 26 (Reuters) – Operators of oil, natural gas
and power infrastructure in the densely-populated U.S.
Northeast activated emergency plans ahead of Hurricane Irene
and warned of potential supply disruptions, but most continued
to operate normally on Friday.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it had no immediate plan to shut
the New York Harbor, a delivery hub for millions of barrels a
day in oil products. The harbor handles shipments from
ocean-going ships, barges and pipelines.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – From nuclear plants to pipelines and refineries, energy firms on the East Coast braced on Thursday for a potentially devastating Hurricane Irene that could make landfall this weekend in North Carolina.

Irene, a Category 3 hurricane barreling toward the most densely populated part of the United States, is prompting energy suppliers to secure equipment, put emergency plans in action and warn customers about potential power disruptions.

HOUSTON/NEW YORK, Aug 23 (Reuters) – The largest earthquake
to hit the East Coast of the United States in 67 years raised
concerns on Tuesday about the safety of the country’s nuclear
power plants.

The 5.8 magnitude quake’s epicenter was just a few miles
from the two-reactor North Anna nuclear power plant operated by
Dominion Resources (D.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) in Mineral, Virginia, 80 miles
southwest of Washington.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Oil rose on Tuesday on speculation the U.S. Federal Reserve could embark on fresh stimulus measures for the economy, and on continued violence in Libya and planned disruptions to Nigeria’s oil exports.

U.S. crude for October delivery rose by 91 cents to $85.33 a barrel and European benchmark Brent traded up 80 cents at $109.20 by 1:52 p.m. in New York.