ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Utility companies Rochester Gas and Electric and NYSEG face millions of dollars in fines for their response to the March 2017 windstorm that left 171,000 of their customers without power.

The investigation by New York's Public Service Commission determined RG&E and NYSEG, both Avangrid companies, violated their own emergency response plan in the days after high wind gusts smacked the region. On March 8, a top gust of 81 miles per hour was recorded at Rochester's airport.

The commission's report states that while the companies performed adequately in some areas, RG&E violated its guidelines eight times while NYSEG is accused of four violations.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for the investigation on March 11. Some NYSEG customers still didn't have power until two days later, and some RG&E customers waited until March 15.

The town of Greece was heavily burdened with roads such as Long Pond near Latta severely impacted. Greece Supervisor Bill Reilich says that over 17,000 homeowners went without powes and some areas for up to a week.

“We had whole string of poles come down, about half dozen or more poles came down and those were not corrected for almost that full week,” said Reilich.