[anthonyfromMA]

A few years ago when I was still living in MA we had an ice storm of epic proportions, everything was encased in solid sheets of ice (which made for beautiful-looking forests, but that was about the only benefit)

We were without power for two weeks, and this is during the winter months when it's frigging cold. We toughed it out, although we could've hit up a local shelter if we wanted to.

So yes, being without power right now does suck, I can certainly relate. But realize there was close to a million residents without power and that's down to a quarter of a million now I believe, plus this didn't just impact CT, it was the majority of the east coast, so crews have been tied up across our borders as well working there.

I was fortunate, I'm in Bristol and didn't lose power (although we had massive flooding for a day just down the street). But look into resources available to you, storm shelters that are open in your area, places you can get a hot shower and meal, etc.

Just be happy it's warm outside and not snowing right now, hell, be happy your home is still standing and wasn't destroyed like some along the coast, things could be much worse.

[Tetto]

Originally Posted by JViello

My eye's widened and mouth dropped more at the $8 a minute! ROFL



LOL Didn't even notice till you said something. Some guys go to the office, some guys go to work. Or something like that.



Amen brother. Just don't go drinking your own p*ss...Bear gets paid good money to do that. lol

haha I'm not there yet...I can still get water out of the ground! But we wont have power until Sept 6th at 6pm CL&P is telling me...

[adamz]

Originally Posted by JViello

You are comparing apples and oranges. Topography, nature of damage and number of available crews all effect that. You can't do an A-B.

In fact to further that point, United Illuminating (NOT part of CL&P) still has the same amount of outages in CT as CL&P. 19% and 21% respectively. So if it's just a CLP thing, why would the other utility be in the same boat in this region? As of right now CL&P has 1200 crews out there compared to 190. They are working hard.

PA is also not 100% restored yet, so I'm not sure where you got the 2 day thing.

As for the hotel, I'm not getting your point. Did someone force you into the roach motel? I'm not trying to be snippy, I just don't see how that matters. Go to a better place?

JViello-
An editorial in today's Hartford Courant points out that CLP has half the number of crews working per customer without service than electric companies in MA, VA and NC.

Editorial: Connecticut had too few crews - Courant.com

I think that Northeast Utilities, the parent company of both UI and CLP, cut back on the number of line crews to save money and maximize profits. Linemen are paid well- they should be, it's dangerous work- and it's cheaper to not keep them on the payroll and plan to bring them in from other states. Except that in this storm, they couldn't do that in a timely fashion, because the other states were also affected.

I can't understand your motive for defending the electric companies. You've pointed out that we should have been prepared because they warned us that it could be two weeks. I agree: I should have been prepared. But what if they had warned us that it would be a year? Would you still be defending them? Please note that I'm not attacking the linemen, I'm criticizing the bean counters who I suspect decided to run with too few crews.

Electricity is essential for modern life, and I think that in the wake of this episode, the state government should set requirements for the number of line crews that UI and CLP have to maintain. This might seem an unwarranted intrusion of government into free enterprise, but given the monopoly that these companies have on power transmission, the only other reasonable alternative IMO is for government to take the lines over and make them public.

[Wilton2ParkAve]

Jv: didn't really have much of a choice as to where to stay. My preference would have been a premium hotel but there were np vacancies. You should also be bothered with putting utility workers up at very expensive hotels. Not exactly prudent allocation of capital, we are the lucky ones who also get those costs passed onto us. Stop making excuses for cl&p, the restoration efforts in connecticut have become national news due to the delays.

[Wilton2ParkAve]

Before you cast doubts on whether or not this has gone national, a wsj link follows (also on msnbc). Companies Struggle to Restore Electricity - WSJ.com

Nj is down to 70,000- impressive effort. We should really see fast restoration, more responsiveness and better service overall in Ct- we do pay rates that are the highest in the continental us. Sad.

[AnonChick]

Northeast Utilities is not the parent company for United Illuminating. UI is its own parent company, and has a few subsidiaries, United Illuminating being one of them.

[adamz]

Originally Posted by AnonChick

Northeast Utilities is not the parent company for United Illuminating. UI is its own parent company, and has a few subsidiaries, United Illuminating being one of them.

Thank you for the correction.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by adamz

I can't understand your motive for defending the electric companies. You've pointed out that we should have been prepared because they warned us that it could be two weeks. I agree: I should have been prepared. But what if they had warned us that it would be a year? Would you still be defending them? Please note that I'm not attacking the linemen, I'm criticizing the bean counters who I suspect decided to run with too few crews.

I don't think he's defending the company as much as he's defending the individual guys out there working their butts off who so many are insulting on a personal basis. Sure, the company might have some issues, but don't ridicule the guys working 18 hour days through blood, sweat and tears to get your power on. Many of these guys don't have power themselves.

That said, I still don't think CL&P management is playing around with this. They're doing everything they can.

[adamz]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I don't think he's defending the company as much as he's defending the individual guys out there working their butts off who so many are insulting on a personal basis. Sure, the company might have some issues, but don't ridicule the guys working 18 hour days through blood, sweat and tears to get your power on. Many of these guys don't have power themselves.

If you read my entire post, you saw that I never insulted the line crews or other power workers. I specifically stated that I wasn't talking about them. I know they're working hard, and I know they're doing a dangerous job.

I AM questioning whether management maintained sufficient numbers of repair personnel on the payroll.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I don't think he's defending the company as much as he's defending the individual guys out there working their butts off who so many are insulting on a personal basis. Sure, the company might have some issues, but don't ridicule the guys working 18 hour days through blood, sweat and tears to get your power on. Many of these guys don't have power themselves.

That said, I still don't think CL&P management is playing around with this. They're doing everything they can.

Update, they are up to 1540 crews out there now as neighboring states are freeing up more help to come here.

As for profitability, what many of you fail to or don't realize is the profitability of CL&P is directed by the D-PUC (Department of Utility Control). They literally are the ones who set the rates and profitability of the company. If there is an issue with that, that's who you need to take issue with.

They are currently merging with the newly-created Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Those two departments in the same bed should shake CT folks to the core more than anything.