Power Slow To Return To UI Customers In Easton.[Update]

Update 2:30pm (Sat)

UI is reporting that 1,011 of its 2,913 customers (35%) in Easton are still without power. 

Update 10:15 a.m. (Sat)

Schools: Weston public schools and Easton/Redding schools to open Sept. 6.

Outages Update: 

• Weston: (1,560, 40 percent)
• Redding: (784, 20 percent)
• Easton: (1,014, 35 percent)

Town Updates:

• REDDING—The Redding Board of Education meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 6, 2011 will be held at in the Library, beginning at 7:30 p.m ... A CL&P rep will be available throughout the weekend at the .
• WESTON—What follows is a "Code Red Announcement" from Weston First Selectman Gayle Weinstein: Of the 287 roads in the Town of Weston, our Department of Public Works has completed all possible work, and is now anxiously waiting for Connecticut Light and Power to finish restoration work on over 70 areas in town. We currently have 12 full crews working in Weston, and several more crews scheduled to work the evening shift. A minimum of 12 crews are scheduled to work over the weekend and on Labor Day until all power has been restored.Please do not touch any wires you see. They may be energized. The comfort station at the Weston Middle School will be open over the weekend from 9 am-5pm. Shower facilities, water and ready to eat meals are available. Town Hall will be open from 10 am to 4:30pm over the weekend for WiFi access and charging capabilities. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is in the process of performing a preliminary damage assessment. Therefore, it is important that all Weston property owners report any damage they have sustained. Please call 203-222-2693 and leave a message with the requested information. Please check the town website for updates at www.westonct.gov. If you do not have computer access, information is available at Town Hall or at the Comfort Station.

Update 11 p.m.

According to the latest update from UI, 43 percent of Easton—1,250 homes—remain without power. The next-highest percentage belongs to North Haven and Woodbridge, each with 10 percent outages. Volume-wise, Bridgeport leads with 1,936 outages—or about 3 percent of the UI customer base there.

CL&P reports 846 outages in Redding (23 percent) and 1,668 in Weston (43 percent).

[Editor's Note: What follows is a press release issued Friday afternoon by United Illuminating.]

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Friday, Sept. 2, 2011 — The United Illuminating Company, electric subsidiary of UIL Holdings Corporation (NYSE: UIL), expects by the end of this weekend to restore power to nearly all customers left without service by the Aug. 28 hurricane.

UIL Chief Executive Officer James P. Torgerson said the company expects to reduce the outage total to below 10,000 by the end of Friday. By the end of Saturday, at least 98 percent of UI customers should have power, and virtually all customers should have electric service by the end of Sunday.

Torgerson said any customer whose power is still out by the end of the day Sunday should report it to UI’s customer care center at 1-800-7-CALL UI (1-800-722-5584).

As of 1 p.m. on Friday, 20,825 UI customers were still awaiting restoration of electric service, compared with more than 158,000 after Hurricane Irene barreled through the state last weekend, leaving nearly half of all UI customers without power.

“We again want to thank our customers for their patience and support during this restoration process. We will not be satisfied until every customer is restored,” Torgerson said. “Today, we are especially focused on the towns of Fairfield, Easton and Hamden, where more individual outages require more resources.”

The company expected to restore on Friday approximately 80 percent of the customers still without power in those communities. In Fairfield, the company expected by the end of the day Friday to restore 2,029 of the 2,751 customers without power. In Easton, where 1,689 customers were still without power, the company expected to restore 1,220 customers. And in Hamden, the company expected to restore virtually all of the 1,515 customers still without electric service.  

UI on Friday increased the number of available restoration crews to 325.

“Our personnel continue to work closely with our partners in the federal, state and local government to help establish priorities and ensure the smooth flow of information,” said Anthony J. Vallillo, UIL’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Company officials reminded customers that UI can only restore power if the electrical system on the property is undamaged and capable of accepting electrical service.

UI is responsible for repairing the incoming service wire leading to a home or business, including the connection point that attaches UI’s service to the property’s electrical system (see graphic).

It is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure there is no damage to the wires and equipment after the connection point, as well as the entrance cable and the meter base to which the meter is attached. (UI generally owns and maintains the meter and will repair it if it is broken.) Before UI can reconnect electrical service, any damage on the property owner’s side must first be repaired by a licensed electrician.

Company officials continue to urge the public to assume any downed power lines or other electrical equipment to be live and dangerous. Stay far away and report the location and details to UI by calling 1-800-7-CALL-UI (1-800-722-5584).

Outage information is available at UI’s website, www.uinet.com.

Customers of UIL’s gas utilities should report any gas odor or suspected leak to the numbers below:

§         Berkshire Gas Company: 800-292-5012

§         Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation: 866-924-5325

§         Southern Connecticut Gas Company: 800-513-8898

 Customers who need other sorts of storm-related assistance should dial 211 to reach the state’s Infoline, which can put them in touch with a variety of local services. Or, they can contact the American Red Cross.

Update: Friday, Sept. 2 — 3:48 p.m.

According to Connecticut Light & Power, 33 percent of Redding residents still don't have power (1,326 households) and 56 percent of Westonites are in the dark (2,153 households). According to United Illuminating, 57 percent of Easton — 1,656 households — is still without power.

Update: Friday, Sept. 2 — 1:03 p.m.

[Editor's Note: What follows is a press release from United Illuminating. As of 11 a.m., 1,718 Easton homes—about 58 percent of the utility's customer base—still was without power.]

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Friday, Sept. 2, 2011 — UIL Holdings Corporation (NYSE: UIL), parent of The United Illuminating Company, is pleased to announce $50,000 in relief grants to help local communities meet residents’ needs in the wake of Hurricane Irene.

The Aug. 28 hurricane caused significant damage across UI’s territory and left many of the company’s customers without power for days. UI will work with local partners to ensure the funds are distributed to organizations that are well placed to meet each community’s needs.

“Hurricane Irene has left an unfortunate and lingering legacy across the Northeast,” said James P. Torgerson, chief executive officer of UIL Holdings Corporation. “Even as we intensify our ongoing effort to restore electric service to all of our customers, we have an opportunity now to help provide relief to those customers who have been enduring a variety of hardships since the storm struck.”

The relief grants, paid for by UIL shareholders, will be distributed as follows:

• $5,000 each for Bridgeport and New Haven, the largest communities in UI’s service territory;
• $2,500 for each of the remaining 15 communities UI serves; and
• $2,500 for the Connecticut Red Cross.

The grant program was structured to give local officials input into how the funds should be distributed.

“All of our communities have different people with different needs. So we wanted to make sure that we were working closely with our local partners to ensure that these relief grants have the maximum possible impact,” said Anthony Marone, UIL’s vice president for business services.

UI continued to make headway with storm recovery efforts. As of 11 a.m. Friday, the company was reporting 21,872 customer outages, less than one-sixth the number of outages immediately after the hurricane hit on Sunday. Company officials noted that more than 93 percent of all UI customers had electric service Friday morning, compared with Sunday afternoon, when nearly half of all customers were without electricity.

Update: Friday, Sept. 2 — 11:21 a.m.

More progress to report: According to Connecticut Light & Power, 39 percent of Redding residents still don't have power (1,552 households) and 55 percent of Westonites are in the dark (2,122 households). According to United Illuminating, 59 percent of Easton — 1,717 households — is still without power.

Update: Thursday, Sept. 1 — 12:54 p.m.

According to Connecticut Light & Power, 73 percent of Westonites are still without power (2,780 out of 3,807) and 63 percent of Redding residents are as well (2,480 out of 3,914). United Illuminating's website is not currently working.

Update: Wednesday, Aug. 31 — 2:38 p.m.

According to Connecticut Light & Power, 69 percent of Redding residents are still without power (2,718 households). In Weston, 76 percent are still without power (2,909 households). According to United Illuminating, 63 percent of Eastonites are in the dark (1,828 households).

Update: Wednesday, Aug. 31 — 11:27 a.m.

Some progress to report: According to Connecticut Light & Power, 75 percent of Westonites are still without power (2,882 out of 3,807 households) and 69 percent of Redding residents are still in the dark (2,734 out of 3,914). According to United Illuminating, 63 percent of Easton residents still don't have power (1,828 out of 2,913).

Update: Tuesday, Aug. 30 — 4:06 p.m.

United Illuminating reports 70 percent of Easton customers remain without power — 2,034 out of 2,913 households. According to Connecticut Light & Power, in Weston, 3,602 out of 3,807 (94 percent) remain without power and in Redding, 89 percent are without power, 3,485 out of 3,914.

Update: Tuesday, Aug. 30 — 2:14 p.m.

According to Connecticut Light & Power, 3,416 households in Redding are without power — 87 percent of customers. In Weston, 95 percent are still without power. According to United Illumating, 2,119 households in Easton are without power — 73 percent of customers.

Update: Tuesday, Aug. 30 — 12:19 p.m.

More bad news to report: Now 98 percent of Redding's households are without power — 3,870 out of 3,914 — according to Connecticut Light & Power. In Weston, 95 percent — 3,631 out of 3,807 — remain without power.

Update: Tuesday, Aug. 30 — 11:34 a.m.

According to Connecticut Light & Power, 33 percent of its customers throughout the state are without power — 414,173.

Update: Tuesday, Aug. 30 — 10:41 a.m.

The number of those without power has been declining in Redding, but has remained relatively unchanged in Weston. According to Connecticut Light & Power, 77 percent of Redding residents (3,047 households) are without power and 95 percent of Westonites (3,620 households) are in the dark. According to United Illuminating, 70 percent of Eastonites (2,040 households) are without power.

Update: Monday, Aug. 29 — 10:36 p.m.

According to United Illuminating, 2,195 (75 percent) of Easton customers are without power.

Update: Monday, Aug. 29 — 10:32 p.m.

Connecticut Light & Power reports 98 percent of Redding residents and 94 percent of Westonites are without power. In Westport, 46 percent are without power. Ridgefield: 79 percent. Wilton: 75 percent.

Update: Monday, Aug. 29 — 3:45 p.m.

Not much more to report. One more household in Redding is without power (3,839) and 91 percent (3,501 households) are without power in Weston. Not surprisingly, United Illuminating's website still does not work.

Update: Monday, Aug. 29 — 10:27 a.m.

Some good news: Connecticut Light & Power reports 10 percent of Westonites have electricity again, but 3,444 households remain without power. In Redding, there's still 98 percent (3,838 households) without power. United Illuminating's website is not currently working.

Update: Sunday, Aug. 28 — 7:40 p.m.

There are only 10 houses in Weston with power, meaning the other 3,797 households in town are in the dark, according to Connecticut Light & Power. There are 66 homes in Redding with power and 3,848 homes in the dark. 

Update: Sunday, Aug. 28 — 5:35 p.m.

According to United Illuminating, there are 2,183 out of 2,874 households in Easton (76 percent) without power. 

Update: Sunday, Aug. 28 — 5:24 p.m.

There are 29 lucky households, out of 3,807 in Weston, that have power, according to Connecticut Light & Power. There's 91 households, out of 3,914 in Redding, that do as well. United Illuminating's website is not currently accessible. 

Update: Sunday, Aug. 28 — 3:56 p.m.

The number of outages is increasing in Weston and Redding, but the good news is it can't go that much higher. According to CL&P, 99 percent of Westonites are now without power — 3,774 out of 3,807. In Redding, 3,829 out of 3,914 are without power, still 97 percent.

Update: Sunday, Aug. 28 — 3:18 p.m.

According to CL&P, it's now 98 percent of Westonites without power — 3,766 out of 3,807 households. A few more households in Redding are without power, good for 97 percent — 3,822 out of 3,914.

Update: Sunday, Aug. 28 — 3:03 p.m.

According to United Illuminating, 55 percent of Eastonites (1,588 out of 2,874 households) are without power.

Original article:

Well, it took me awhile, but I made it.

After trying to navigate Newtown Turnpike via sedan, I quickly realized this was not possible and reverted to the tried and truer method of reliable transportation, deciding to hoof it to the Lumberyard Pub in search of fleeting electricity and internet.

Sure, MapQuest calls it 5.12 miles, but what else was one who's trade is covering local news to do on an anything-but-quiet lazy Sunday? As fate would have it, a colleague picked me up en route, considerably consolidating my commute, and we made our way to the pub.

Electricity we found. But the internet remained a mystery. Hurricane Irene may have been many things. But she wasn't going to be something that deprived us of internet. But we were committed to finding internet. It was necessary.

How else would the three percent of those in Redding and the three percent of those in Weston with electricity know what's going on? (According to Connecticut Light & Power, at the time of this writing — Sunday, Aug. 28 at 2:16 p.m. — 97 percent of Westonites (3,707 out of 3,807) and 97 percent of Redding residents (3,812 out of 3,914) are without power. United Illuminating's website seems to not be working at the moment.)

We decided to head into Ridgefield up Branchville Road. Blocked by tree. We headed up Route 7 towards Danbury. Blocked by tree. We headed towards the center of Ridgefield via Florida Hill Road. Blocked by tree. We headed down 7 towards Wilton. Blocked by tree. We decided to switchback and cut Route 7 via Old Mill Road to Mather Street to Honey Hill Road, which ended up working.

Connecticut Bagel and Coffee in Wilton is open, and they do indeed have internet. We didn't have to go the Californey way.

So the question remains: How are you reading this, Westonites and Redding residents? And Eastonites — the United Illuminating website doesn't appear to be working. I hope it's not a symbol of how things are over there.