AG Calls for Investigation on CL&P Preparedness

AG George Jepsen calls for expanding Irene investigation to the current storm.

The Attorney General is asking utility regulators to investigate Connecticut Light & Power Company’s preparedness and response to the winter storm that left more than 831,000 CL&P customers without power.

George Jepsen filed a formal request on Thursday with the state Public Utilities Regulatory Authority.

On Sept. 22, the authority began to look into how CL&P and the United Illuminating Co.’s responded to Tropical Storm Irene, as well as how telecommunications, natural gas and water public service companies responded after extended outages in August.

Jepsen called for this investigation to include the utility companies response to the October storm, which caused even more damage to the electric power transmission and distribution system.

“I have received numerous complaints from affected citizens, many of whom are still waiting for their power to be restored,” Jepsen said on Thursday. “Reliable electric service is a matter of public health and safety, and Connecticut’s citizens deserve to know that the utilities and the State are doing everything possible to provide electric service as soon as possible.”

Among the issues Jepsen asked regulators to address are CL&P’s preparations for the magnitude of the storm, its advance reservation and payment procedures for out-of-state work crews and the effectiveness of its response to the damage on the ground.

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