BERLIN, Conn. (October 30, 2012) – With winds gusting over 80 miles per hour, Hurricane Sandy caused significant and devastating tree damage across Connecticut, interrupting electric service to over a half million Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) customers. CL&P has already restored power to over 210,000 customers since noon yesterday.
"Working with the municipalities we serve, we’ve made significant progress in clearing roads blocked by downed trees and electrical equipment,” said Bill Quinlan, CL&P Senior Vice President of Emergency Preparedness. “We are working to complete a detailed damage assessment of our 17,000 miles of overhead equipment, using patrollers on the ground and in helicopters, so we can efficiently deploy our resources for full restoration.”
Workers have come from across the country to support CL&P’s efforts with over 1,000 line workers, 600 tree workers and 500 service electricians joining employees from CL&P and parent company Northeast Utilities. CL&P is establishing five staging areas in Waterford, Madison, Newtown, Stamford and Westport to coordinate workers and assist in the restoration effort.
SAFETY FIRST
With Halloween approaching tomorrow and many children preparing for trick-or-treating, safety remains the top priority. CL&P urges the public to be on the watch for storm debris and downed lines, especially lines that may be unseen and obscured by fallen limbs, while trick-or-treating. Customers are reminded to always stay at least 10 feet away from all downed wires and anything they touch.
OUTAGE REPORTING
To report a power outage, call CL&P at 800-286-2000 or use the “Report an Outage” link at www.cl-p.com. For tips and updates from CL&P, follow us on Twitter @CTLightandPower and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/ctlightandpower.