CL&P ready to defend its response to Tropical Storm Irene
At its peak, 671,000 CL&P customers were out from Irene
Published: Sep 19, 2011
Image
Trees
Trees Photo:Photo / Waka Jawaka via Creative Commons
Facing a legislative inquiry after the state's worst power outage, Connecticut's largest electric utility intends to defend its performance today by telling legislators that it restored power to more customers and in less time after Tropical Storm Irene than in any previous blackout.
Jeffrey D. Butler, the president and chief operating officer of Connecticut Light & Power Co., acknowledged an "opportunity" for the company to improve communications with the public and towns after blackouts. But in an interview with The Mirror, he said CL&P deserves good marks overall for its response before and after Irene.
The nine days to restore power after Irene was one fewer than it took to make repairs after Hurricane Gloria in 1985. At its peak, 671,000 CL&P customers were out from Irene, compared to the previous record of 477,428 from Gloria.
United Illuminating, the state's second-larges utility, reported 158,000 outages. It serves 324,000 customers, mostly along the shoreline from the New Haven to Bridgeport areas.
Nearly all the damage from Irene in CL&P's territory was caused by trees and branches falling on 17,000 miles of electric lines, which snake through one of the nation's densest canopy of trees, Butler said.
Send to friend
Printer-friendly version
The nine days to restore power after Irene was one fewer than it took to make repairs after Hurricane Gloria in 1985.
Contributor:
Comments
Post new comment