PURA slams utility over Isaias response

Connecticut regulators offered sharp criticism for Eversource’s preparation and response to Tropical Storm Isaias last summer in a draft decision released Friday night, and said they will consider fines against the state’s largest electrical provider.

Eversource “failed to comply with applicable performance standards and the prudence standard for public service compa

nies” in its preparation and response to the storm, a draft decision from the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority stated.

The report finds less went wrong with United Illuminating’s preparation and response to the storm, which despite being “underwhelming in specific instances,” was markedly better than that of Eversource.

Isaias slammed the state on the afternoon of Aug. 4 last year, lashing the state with sustained high winds and tornado warnings that uprooted trees and downed limbs.

As the storm moved away, up to 800,000 in the state were left without power, many of whom remained in the dark a week later.

The report, a final version of which is expected in April, specifically cites the utility company’s municipal liaison program and “make safe” operations as inadquate. It also claims Eversource was not “reasonable or prudent” in its communications to customers who were without power or securing “adequate resources in a timely manner.”

In its conclusion, PURA wrote that it will “consider fines and penalties” against Eversource under state law.

A statement provided by Eversource spokesman Mitch Gross said the company stands by its response to the storm.

“We were well prepared for this storm even though the forecast changed drastically as the storm arrived — causing unprecedented damage in Connecticut,” the statement said.

Gross said the company mobilized “thousands of line and tree crews,” and said Eversource continues “to implement improvements to provide the best possible service for our customers.”

UI’s response and preparation to the storm, meanwhile, “generally met standards of acceptable performance,” PURA concluded.

Ed Crowder, a spokesman for United Illuminating, said the utility company apprciates the “thorough review of UI’s storm response to Tropical Storm Isaias.”

“We are confident that we met the core objectives set out in UI’s Emergency Response Plan. However, we also recognize the difficulties that extended outages created for many of our customers,” Crowder said. “As we review PURA’s decision, we will look for guidance and opportunities to continue to improve our performance.”

The draft decision contains a list of 15 orders the companies must undertake, most before June 30.

The proposed orders include stipulations that both utilities come up with a formal process for communicating with customers with medical hardships before, during and after storms. Eversource would also be required to perform stress testing on its outage reporting systems, and both utlities would be required to work with municipalities to improve the reporting of blocked roads.