Community Corner
Connecticut Light & Power Sets New Record For Outages.
The utility company said outages during Hurricane Irene our most since 1985
As of 11:30am on Sunday, Connecticut Light & Power is reporting there are 552,000 power outages throughout the state. The number represents 44% of all its customers.
"These are the most outages we've had since Hurricane Gloria in 1985," CL&P spokesman Frank Poirot told Patch. "We ask our customers to be patient."
Because of the high winds associated with the hurricane and damage to power lines, CL&P workers are having trouble even assessing the damage.
Find out what's happening in Norwalkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"Our workers can't even go up in the buckets near the power lines," said Poirot. "If the winds are 35 mphs or above, we don't even send them out for obvious safety precautions."
CL&P customer service representatives are taking up to 12,000 calls per hour and crews are responding to 911 calls to local police and fire departments. The company wants people to be very cautious when it comes to downed power lines.
Find out what's happening in Norwalkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"You have to assume that every fallen power line is live," he said. "Do not touch them. Be wary of branches and leaves in the street because there could be live power lines beneath them."
Poirot says a good assessment of the damage from the hurricane has yet to be done. With more high winds expected later this afternoon, will make that make even more difficult.
