Embattled Berlin electric utility Connecticut Light & Power claims it is better prepared to respond to large-scale emergencies thanks to a variety of improvements.
CL&P held an emergency preparedness summit at its headquarters to explain to 180 state and municipal officials how better the company is prepared for major events such as Tropical Storm Irene in August and the Oct. 29 snowstorm that knocked out power to 56 and 67 percent of its 1.2 million customers, some for more than a week.
The utility is in the midst of a regulatory battle with Attorney General George Jepsen over how much of its $300 million in storm costs should be recovered through ratepayer bills. Jepsen has asked the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to prevent CL&P from collecting $150 million from ratepayers. CL&P, which already has agreed to not collect $40 million, claims Jepsen is overstating the need for a penalty.
At the emergency summit, CL&P outlined the steps it took to improve emergency preparedness, including establishing an emergency preparedness organization, creating an infrastructure hardening organization, revising its emergency response plan for large events, working on better forecasting, strengthening its relationships and communication with state and local officials, and doubling its tree-trimming budget to $54 million.
