Norwich — Norwich Public Utilities General Manager John Bilda was invited by the U.S. Department of Energy to a Washington, D.C., meeting Wednesday on power companies’ responses to Superstorm Sandy last fall.

It turned out President Barack Obama also was interested in the issue and stopped in at the meeting to address the group of about three dozen representatives from public- and investor-owned utility companies from across the country.

“The president participated and commented that he is directly involved with this and wanted us to know how the government can better respond to storm emergencies,” Bilda said.

Bilda said he was the only representative from a publicly owned power utility in New England.

He said the group discussed several issues and made specific requests, including creating a designation that allows utility trucks be considered first responders on the roads during storms.

Another issue is the need for increased fuel deliveries in advance of major storms in areas expected to be hard-hit. This could require government waivers to allow more fuel trucks into areas that might be cut off from deliveries by closed roads and downed trees and wires during and after the storm.

“It was a very good meeting,” Bilda said. “The national response to storms clearly has the president’s attention.”

c.bessette@theday.com