To the Editor:
For days before Hurricane Sandy hit, weather forecasters were predicting that this could be a storm of historic magnitude. You would think that United Illuminating, in that time, would have heeded the warnings and marshaled the anticipated resources and repair crews needed and have them in place by the time the storm struck.
Yet incredibly on Tuesday, the day after the storm, UI sent only a single crew to service Fairfield, a town of 60,000 residents with reportedly 97% without power. On Wednesday they had a paltry three crews assigned to restore power in a town with nearly 300 fallen trees tangled with dangerous power lines.
This is pathetic. Even after the debacle of Irene last year, UI was woefully unprepared to deal with this storm. Now, after the fact, they are calling in crews from outside the storm-affected regions to assist in restoring power. Why weren't these units summoned, ready and in place when they had days of warning to do so?
This is what happens when you have a monopoly controlling the delivery of electricity to this area. You don't have to answer to anyone, not even state and local officials who bluster and act angry for show, but have little power or resolve to make United Illuminating do what they are obligated to. We are all at their profit-protecting mercy. Obviously, their "wait and see" and "we need to assess the damage first" tactics are meant to stall for time and save money, while thousands suffer from the loss of vital electricity that runs their lights, heating, appliances, communication devices, water pumps, and more.
Last month, I was charged $32 by the company who generates my electricity and $58 by United Illuminating for delivering it. Almost double! It's outrageous what they are charging to deliver power to their captive customers and even worse, in spite of their exorbitant rates, that they provide chintzy responses to disasters like this.
Where's the competition? Believe me, this would not happen if UI had competitors to deliver electricity. You can bet they'd put more money into disaster response and get the power back on posthaste, or people would fire their butts in a heartbeat. Let's subject these powerful and profit-centric utilities to a little more free market competition. I assure you we'd have our full power back on here in Fairfield far sooner than their unacceptable estimate of next Monday at midnight.
Jerry McTigue
You'll get better when you DEMAND better!
Questions: Frank: What incompetence? please provide examples. What do you think a utility has to do to prepare for a hurricane? MikeB: How much profit does UI make from generation charges? Sean: Did NJ really get "1,000,000 . . . customers get power back within 4 days"? Please provide link to news articles. J.S.: The crews you mentioned: How long were they were working prior to you seeing them taking a break, or a nap? How long do you work before you take a break? curiousnomad: There were hundreds of workers available for the storm. With that knowledge, how many workers do you think UI should have had? will you be willing to pay for them? Richard Gallagher How does paying taxes to the state government translate to demanding a private company that is regulated by the state in turn translate into your demand? Questions for all: How long does it take to replace a pole with a damaged wire on the ground with 13000 volts going through it with a 90 foot oak entangled in the wires? How long does it take under optimal condition to replace a pole? What have you done to prepare for a storm of this magnitude? Were you accountable for your own safety?
What I did say that one of the very few ways we as customers who are beholden to UI can make our voices heard is by switching the power generator (their rates are still one of this highest in the state - http://www.ctenergyinfo.com/view_rates.htm?electricity_rates_id=jlq96hlv).
I think the reason the politicians are so quiet on the single crew issue is because that was the deal that they negotiated after Irene. I could have this wrong but, during Irene there was frustration and finger pointing about whom had the responsibility to clear trees. Further, UI (and much more so, CL&P) were determining where to apply crews, based upon number of customers out, location of hospitals, et cetera. In the drive to make everything "fair," the town governments negotiated a plan: one crew per town, and the town cuts trees ahead of the crew. So, whether a town has 1 outage, or 20,000 outages, they've got one crew. Further, the towns directed the crews not to concentrate on on power restoration, but rather put them on getting the roads open, so that ambulances and fire trucks could access all areas. I believe this is referred to as "make safe mode." Continued...
If you're going to be frustrated at someone, you might as well be targeting the right someone. Caitlin, perhaps, as your schedule allows, you can confirm/disprove/correct the above.
CREEKY AND LTN you got it right Storm of storms Much damage a lot of planning to get resource into this area, SHARING with other Power companies. It takes time !!!! Let's look at issues---Bury Power lines OK are you ging to pay to hook up--remember that house service and service drop is on YOU !!! Bury lines Really haver you stuck a shovel in the ground at your house Hit some Rock ?? Think about that. Other areas Really No one raises more objections to Trimmingg Trees that Fairfield County-=-I watched a stand off on the Old Post Road between a UI Crew--out of state and a resident over her tree. The situation last Thursday where crews(ou of State) where harrased is disgusting--Fairfield People look down their noses at everyong else---and the UI had to have Police Protection Ha !!! The world is laughing at you. I spoke to out of State crews from at least 22 diffent States and Canada who drove their trucks here to help--An some of you who complaine drove their SUV's over downed lines. As for your compliants---NOT A SINGLE PERSON was electracuted by a down line, and till this point no one died except a First Responder in Easton. No fires caused by electrical issues due to the slow and methodical efforts to restore power. Everone is OK , yest there are some outages, but do you realize that those might be homes that are severely damaged and cannot have power restored?
UI, on the other hand, waited until AFTER the storm to call in the cavalry. The out-of-state crew that fixed our power left their home state, drove for 3 days, and got to Fairfield on Friday. UI took a "wait and see" attitude, not knowing the extent of the damage (they must not watch TV or any media). Other groups took a chance and pre-ordered their assistance. I also heard that after Irene UI was very slow to pay the out of state crews... so that they had to scramble to try to find them this time since they had a) waited and b) not paid on schedule last time. I cannot validate the late payment situation, just what I heard.
You may not be affecting UI's profit, but at least you're doing something. It may not matter at all, but it's probably the only "message" a customer can send to UI outside of a formal complaint.
While I encourage your efforts to be heard, I feel your energies would be better spent directed at the one who affects change: PURA. The whole debacle of the power companies decoupling back in 2000 has proven to be a detriment to both the citizens of Connecticut and the power companies themselves. I defend the right for everyone to have their voice be heard, but I also believe it must be an educated one. Railing against the power companies is as productive as pushing a rope up hill.
"Officials from United Illuminating's parent company said the cost to restore power after Superstorm Sandy is between $35 million and $40 million and the company is going to ask ratepayers to pay it through a request to Connecticut regulators." http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/UI-Sandy-Cost-35--40-million-179088441.html