The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority has launched its investigation into the preparation and response for Superstorm Sandy by the state’s electric and natural gas utilities.
A law passed following Tropical Storm Irene and the October snowstorm in 2011 requires PURA to review utilities’ performance whenever more than 10 percent of the electric customers are without power for more than 48 hours.
Electric utilities Connecticut Light & Power and United Illuminating had more than 1 million of their total 1.5 million customers lose power at some point during Sandy.
In addition to CL&P and UI, regulators also will investigate natural gas utilities Yankee Gas, Connecticut Natural Gas, and Southern Connecticut Gas. CL&P and Yankee Gas are subsidiaries of Northeast Utilities, headquartered in Hartford and Boston, while UI, CNG, and SCG are subsidiaries of New Haven-based UIL Holdings Corp.
PURA will hold hearings on the utilities’ Sandy efforts at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 3 in East Haven, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 7 in Westport, and 6:30 p.m. Jan. 15 in Waterford.
