Rell calls for utility probe in wake of power outages caused by weekend storm

Gov. M. Jodi Rell called for a probe today of the state’s two largest utilities in the wake of a damaging nor’easter that led to three deaths and left hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses without power.

Rell said in a press release that she has asked the state departments of Public Utility Control and Emergency Management and Homeland Security to examine the actions of the state’s two largest electric utilities – Connecticut Light & Power Company and United Illuminating – in the initial hours of the weekend storm.

Rell noted that she has heard from many municipal leaders, fire and police chiefs and emergency management officials who complained that the utility companies were slow to respond to the storm Saturday night and Sunday. The officials told the governor they had trouble reaching utility officials – often getting voice mail or no answer at all – and said that they saw relatively few utility crews on the job in the first two days of the storm.

As of this morning, more than 39,000 CL&P customers and more than 700 UI customers were still without power, Rell said.

On Monday, the DPUC said it planned to investigate CL&P’s response, which resulted in complaints from about 20 consumers, including at least one a linesman. On top of that, two International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers unions for CL&P complained that linesmen were being limited to working 16 hours on and eight off, instead of working double time to speed up power restoration.

CL&P said Monday and again today that the work schedule is for productivity and safety reasons.

"Because this is a multi-day effort, crews are being scheduled for 16-hour shifts followed by an eight-hour rest period, which helps ensure the safety of all workers.  For the majority of the crews, the 16-hour shift includes all daylight hours which aides in our restoration effort.  However, resources continue to be available around the clock to continue the restoration effort and respond to emergency and emerging situations," the company said.