Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Having just moved out of a CL&P zone and back in to a UI zone, it seems to me that CL&P needs to be better prepared for these "historic" weather events we're having every 90 days or so...
I was driving up to BDL (which by the way is running great today) today and listening to a Hartford talk station. Here are several plausible issues that it seems would be good investments of time and money to modernize the infrastructure:
1) Start planning to place our utilities underground?
2) Why isn't CL&P cutting back branches around power lines as part of routine maintenance any more?
3) Isn't two days to "assess" storm damage enough? Why is another day of assessment necessary before we start to bring people back on line?
4) Couldn't the need for gas be anticipated? Can't small station owners be required to have generators or be provided tax abatement for purchasing one?
Why or why aren't these good ideas? Is it really acceptable for several areas of Connecticut to have lost power for three of the last 52 weeks?
Having just moved out of a CL&P zone and back in to a UI zone, it seems to me that CL&P needs to be better prepared for these "historic" weather events we're having every 90 days or so...
I was driving up to BDL (which by the way is running great today) today and listening to a Hartford talk station. Here are several plausible issues that it seems would be good investments of time and money to modernize the infrastructure:
1) Start planning to place our utilities underground?
2) Why isn't CL&P cutting back branches around power lines as part of routine maintenance any more?
3) Isn't two days to "assess" storm damage enough? Why is another day of assessment necessary before we start to bring people back on line?
4) Couldn't the need for gas be anticipated? Can't small station owners be required to have generators or be provided tax abatement for purchasing one?
Why or why aren't these good ideas? Is it really acceptable for several areas of Connecticut to have lost power for three of the last 52 weeks?
1. Unions. They will not remove aerial wires because the guys who maintain them will be out of work.
2. They do and are, they just went down my street about two weeks ago. However, the issue is property rights. Not everyone is granting them access to the trees that may be 20 feet off the road with branches into the wires. The other issue is shoddy work. My neighbor and I walked around cutting downed trees in the neighborhood joking about all the trees they left right in the wires yet walked 10 feet into someone's property to cut a tree that was not a threat. They guys doing the work didn't exactly exude "professional".
3. If you could see the extent of the damage here, you would understand it. Around me alone there are multiple, multiple lines off of houses, primaries down, various trees etc. For them to basically do what Google Maps took years to do in two days - which is drive around all the streets and assess damage and need for repairs is heroic. They are restoring customers BTW.
4. Even the stations that have power around here could only take cash as their data networks and/or phone networks were down.
Not saying I agree or disagree with your points, just giving some additional observance.
I would suggest people be a little more prepared. I honestly drive by the 1/4 mile lines at the gas station and grocery store and shake my head. Once again, we as a family just went and stocked up Friday on some essentials we might have wanted more of and already were prepared with supplies as always. I got 30 gallons of fuel for the generator, filled up both vehicles. Why is that so hard to grasp for people? We even loaned a friend a portable propane heater and 20lb full tank because they had nothing to heat their house - and they have kids.
I agree with 1 and 2, and was actually talking with a couple of co-workers about those today.
For 1, make it a 20 year plan to hit at least 90%... shouldn't be all that difficult. And, make sure to put adequate space for future expansion (ie fiber optics for internet, higher power requirements, future enviro-friendly wiring to backfeed to the system, etc.). But, this would require some strategic foresight by our politicians, and god forbid they think beyond their next election.
#2 seems like a no-brainer... even as far as holding people accountable for the trees on their property. Have CL&P/UI trim far enough back to keep away from the lines, and future maintenance is the responsibility of the homeowner. If you don't do it, the utility can give you 1 warning before they do it and send you the bill.
1. Unions. They will not remove aerial wires because the guys who maintain them will be out of work.
2. They do and are, they just went down my street about two weeks ago. However, the issue is property rights. Not everyone is granting them access to the trees that may be 20 feet off the road with branches into the wires.
3. If you could see the extent of the damage here, you would understand it. Around me alone there are multiple, multiple lines off of houses, primaries down, various trees etc. For them to basically do what Google Maps took years to do in two days - which is drive around all the streets and assess damage and need for repairs is heroic. They are restoring customers BTW.
4. Even the stations that have power around here could only take cash as their data networks and/or phone networks were down.
Not saying I agree or disagree with your points, just giving some additional observance.
I would suggest people be a little more prepared. I honestly drive by the 1/4 mile lines at the gas station and grocery store and shake my head. Once again, we as a family just went and stocked up Friday on some essentials we might have wanted more of and already were prepared with supplies as always. I got 30 gallons of fuel for the generator, filled up both vehicles. Why is that so hard to grasp for people? We even loaned a friend a portable propane heater and 20lb full tank because they had nothing to heat their house - and they have kids.
It looks horrible up there. My thoughts are with you guys.
If the unions are blocking the move underground, that's ridiculous, since by the time the overheard wires are gone, the current linemen (all what? 300 of them) will be retired, and underground will need maintenance and repair too.
My thinking on tree trimming is that not doing it adds a bit to the utilities bottom line.. and in the US, profits are #1 right?!!?
Sure, people SHOULD be a little more prepared, but there is no reason we can't have gas stations mandated to have generators, like in Florida-- where they handle these types of hurricane events.
1. Unions. They will not remove aerial wires because the guys who maintain them will be out of work.
2. They do and are, they just went down my street about two weeks ago. However, the issue is property rights. Not everyone is granting them access to the trees that may be 20 feet off the road with branches into the wires.
I would suggest people be a little more prepared. I honestly drive by the 1/4 mile lines at the gas station and grocery store and shake my head. Once again, we as a family just went and stocked up Friday on some essentials we might have wanted more of and already were prepared with supplies as always. I got 30 gallons of fuel for the generator, filled up both vehicles. Why is that so hard to grasp for people? We even loaned a friend a portable propane heater and 20lb full tank because they had nothing to heat their house - and they have kids.
1 - Damned unions. Made sense many years ago, not so much these days.
2 - UI isn't doing squat. My neighbor called them several times to ask them to cut back a couple of trees that were grown around the lines, just so he could take them down, but they won't do it. And none of the tree guys will go near the lines.
Yes - preparation is important. But people (like my wife) prefer to bury their heads in the sand. I'm not saying we should go to the mattresses or build a bunker, but some prudence is better. We have a 3yo and 1yo, and she would rather risk it than stock up on some basics. Even after we were without power for 8 days after Irene. Ugh.
This is why I say put power line underground in rural areas because that is where most of the trees are and unlike Hartford and New Britain where many have power so it is fine to have power line up in the air in more urban areas in Conn.
It looks horrible up there. My thoughts are with you guys.
If the unions are blocking the move underground, that's ridiculous, since by the time the overheard wires are gone, the current linemen (all what? 300 of them) will be retired, and underground will need maintenance and repair too.
My thinking on tree trimming is that not doing it adds a bit to the utilities bottom line.. and in the US, profits are #1 right?!!?
Sure, people SHOULD be a little more prepared, but there is no reason we can't have gas stations mandated to have generators, like in Florida-- where they handle these types of hurricane events.
Thanks, it is really bad up here. We didn't sleep all night with trees crashing all around the neighborhood I swear every 5-10 minutes. All you would hear is c cr cra CRAAAACK....crash.
I have a customer that just retired as a supervisor for CLP and I kid you not, when we had this conversation he basically said that it was the unions and DPUC red tape that would not allow them to bury existing lines. They do put the majority of new service under ground.
I'm not sure about the trimming saving them money. I'm starting to wonder if they come ahead from these kinds of things through federal disaster dollars and increased rates.
I don't disagree about generators. If I had a station I would most certainly have one. What's funny is Shady Glen has probably a 100KW generation plant. They have their parking lot lights (Huge road like lights) lit and the rest of the place up and running as normal. Hey, gotta have a good burger in stressful times. LOL
I'll tell you who has genuinely pissed me off is T-Mobile. They have no, NO towers with back up generation which for a telcom is absurd and embarrassing. The new tower they put up by my place has a two hour UPS and that's it. We had NO service from the East side of Manchester, along the highway all the way into Windsor with not a spit of service around Windsor. Absurd. I'll be early terming my contract when this is over.
Quote:
Originally Posted by toddb
2 - UI isn't doing squat. My neighbor called them several times to ask them to cut back a couple of trees that were grown around the lines, just so he could take them down, but they won't do it. And none of the tree guys will go near the lines.
Yes - preparation is important. But people (like my wife) prefer to bury their heads in the sand. I'm not saying we should go to the mattresses or build a bunker, but some prudence is better. We have a 3yo and 1yo, and she would rather risk it than stock up on some basics. Even after we were without power for 8 days after Irene. Ugh.
I don't blame people for not cutting off the lines. They shouldn't!
Maybe - and don't take this the wrong way, you should make the suggestion and put together a family "emergency prepardness plan" and get her on board with certain tasks such as inventorying a certain amount of water, food etc in the house. In my experience it goes over a lot easier than saying "WTF Woman". LOL
We have the same age group, 3.5 and 1.5yr. My 1.5yr old is toddling around me trying to type as I write this. lol
Is UI really any better though? I think they benefit from the fact that most of their customers are on the coast and not in densely wooded rural areas.
I didn't lose power during the huricane, or the lat couple blizzards, or this past storm. And the one time we did, we called them, told them where the break was, and they were out there fixing it that afternoon. I couldn't be happier with UI.
The issue with burying power lines is more money than anything else. Who is going to foot the bill for doing all the work? The CPL customers. I remember there was a question during an election about burying wires and it was voted down because of cost. The customers said no because they didn't want rates raised. FYI, this was when I lived in CT, I know my location says Colorado.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We had NO service from the East side of Manchester, along the highway all the way into Windsor with not a spit of service around Windsor. Absurd. I'll be early terming my contract when this is over. 
