Power outage affects about 17,000 customers just outside Boston, around Harvard, MIT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A widespread power outage has been reported just outside Boston where MIT and Harvard University are located.

NStar utility spokesman Mike Durand says about 17,000 customers are affected by Thursday's power outage in an eastern part of Cambridge, just across the Charles River from Boston. He says the outage is related to a transmission line and is being investigated.

NStar's outage website says about 27 percent of its Cambridge customers are affected. The area includes Kendall Square near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Square.

Transit authority spokesman Joe Pesaturo says the area's Red subway line is experiencing delays because of the outage. He says no Red Line trains are stuck in tunnels.

Traffic problems also are reported in the area.