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Update from Eversource

Posted on: December 18, 2023 - 7:43pm

Good Evening, Wilton. Below, please find the latest update from Eversource on their work to restore our area after the large storm that swept through last night and early this morning. Is your power out? Call 800-286-2000, or text “out” to 23129 from your cell phone or go to http://eversource.com :

Monday, December 18, 2023, at 6 p.m. 

Eversource Working Nonstop to Restore Customers    

Operational Status: EMERGENCY 

Electric Emergency Response Plan (ERP) Incident Level: ERP Level 4 (Moderate Impact) 

Gas Emergency Response Plan (ERP) Incident Level: ERP Level 5 (Minor Impact) 

Overview  

• Of approximately 178,000 customers who lost power during this storm, Eversource has restored more than 124,000 customers. Currently, approximately 54,000 electric customers are without power. Additional outages could occur overnight. 

• As of 4 p.m., Eversource has restored 110 of 188 critical facilities; has cleared 198 of 327 blocked roads and restored 35 of 68 schools. Our goal is to restore the remaining 33 schools by tomorrow morning.  

• Eversource continues to clear blocked roads, address critical facilities and schools, assess damage and restore power as quickly and safely as possible. 

• With complex outages spread widely across the state, full restoration from the storm will take multiple days with many customers restored in the interim. 

• Our crews are working hard on around-the-clock shifts until all our customers are restored. 

• The winds continue to taper off with reduced maximum wind gusts of 20-30 mph in isolated areas across the state. The rain has moved out of the state leaving dry conditions for the evening and overnight.  

• Saturated ground and trees already weakened by last week’s storm continue to be a significant concern. 

• Coastal and inland flooding also continues to be a concern. Eversource has a substation flooding mitigation plan in place in case it is needed and locations are being monitored. 

RESOURCE PLANNING   

• Crew and resource staging centers are set up in the east and west portions of the state to address the hardest hit areas. 

• Eversource’s Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs) in Hartford, New London and Newtown remain open. 

• Additional out-of-state crew resources are being secured for the multi-day event.  

PERSONNEL AVAILABLE FOR DECEMBER 18, 2023, STORM  

Distribution Line Crews Total    530 Eversource Crews    60 

Contractor Crews    470 

Transmission Crews Total    2 Eversource Crews 2 

Contractor Crews    0 

Service Crews    30      

RSO Trouble Shooters    103        

Substation Electricians    124        

Tree Crews    265      

Damage Assessors    127        

Wire Guards    91        

Crew numbers will change as we secure and/or release resources. Response Specialist Organization (RSO) Trouble Shooters are Eversource lineworkers in addition to total Distribution Line Crews.     

GAS OPERATIONS  

• Due to severe erosion, a 10-foot section of gas main was exposed on Bushnell Hollow Road in Baltic, CT. Crews are on-site and coordinating with local Department of Public Works officials to repair it. If that section of gas main needs to be isolated to facilitate road repairs, less than 10 customers will be impacted.  

• Gas Operations will remain at ERP Level 5 (minor impact) is expected to resume normal operations later tonight. 

• Crews are actively checking flood prone areas to ensure below ground infrastructure is cleared of water. 

• Gas Operations is supporting Electric Operations Mutual Aid response on Tuesday, December 19. 

STORM COMMUNICATIONS    

• By the end of today, customers without power will have received three emails, text messages or phone calls (according to customer choice) alerting them that full restoration from the storm will take multiple days with many customers being restored sooner. 

• A press event was held today to update media on our restoration progress.  

• A news release was distributed today informing customers of our restoration progress. 

• Eversource Regulatory Affairs continues to provide updates to state regulators and other state agencies. 

• Eversource Community Liaisons have connected with municipalities and are responding to inquiries from municipal officials. 

• Communities are actively engaged and using the Eversource Municipal Hub to report priorities. 

• The utility liaison has been activated to facilitate coordination on pole and wire repair and pole replacement with third-party attachment companies and joint pole owners as necessary.   

• Eversource Social Media is monitoring all channels and is sharing damage and restoration photos as they come in. 

• The homepage of Eversource.com is displaying storm information and how to report an outage. 

APPROVED BY:  

Chris Colorio, Connecticut Incident Commander, Electric Operations  

Kevin Kelley, Incident Commander, Gas Operations