Blumenthal Calls Power Outage ‘Disaster that Followed the Natural Disaster’

Branford’s First Selectman Anthony “Unk” DaRos met with other shoreline leaders and Senator Richard Blumenthal today at Branford to discuss how communities were recovering from and the seemingly from CL&P with power restoration efforts.

Blumenthal started the meeting, stating that he hopes future measures can be taken to avoid the “disaster that followed the natural disaster” when it comes to how CL&P responded to the power outages.

Many shoreline towns served by CL&P, including all represented at today’s meeting (Branford, Guilford, Madison, Westbrook, ect…) were 100 percent in the dark on Sunday morning following the storm. As of today about of Branford CL&P customers are still in the dark and about 70 to 80 percent of Guilford, Madison and Westbrook customers were without lights.

Frustrations were evident from town leaders who were echoing the sentiment of their communities. Like many representatives at the meeting, the lack of communication from CL&P as to when work would be done was a big frustration. Madison First Selectman Fillmore McPherson said, “All I can say if somebody asks is, ‘I think they are working on so and so because police saw some crews out,’ but we don’t know how that’s going to go in terms of getting people back online.”

Just this morning, CL&P issued a stating that they were making great power restoration efforts and they released estimated time tables for power restoration. Branford is estimated to back on the grid by Tuesday, Sept. 6 as are the shoreline towns from here to Old Saybrook.

Addressing the group, Blumenthal stated, That’s one of the reasons we are here. To make sure we have a strategy of fighting in every possible way we can to make sure power is restored. And I’m without power myself so I know what folks are going through.”

Taking the floor next, DaRos opened, “First of all I’d like to say, and I know you all experienced the same thing, that this was a slow start. I believe that you as mayors and selectmen, prepared for this. I know I did and we did it a week in advance."

Stating what others later agreed with, DaRos noted, “The slowness of coming back the first couple of days was a little disappointing on CL&Ps part.” However, he added, “Right now, and I can certainly speak here in Branford, they have picked up the pace.”

Hoping to get Branford’s most compromised populations back on the grid, DaRos said, “We’re not out of the woods here in Branford.” He illustrated the gravity of the situation noting that the generator at , which was sustaining some patients who are being kept alive by breathing assistance machines, went down on Monday. People were within breaths of losing their lives, he said and that’s finally when CL&P stepped up. In less than 10 minutes, he stated, power was restored to Hospice. “That could have been done days ago,” he said.

Another huge problem for Branford is the sewage treatment plant, which is being powered by a 600 KVW generator to keep it pumping. “If I have one diesel engine fail today,” DaRos stated, “I have a great big problem and so do you because it’s going to be going straight into Long Island Sound.”

Branford was running 28 generators since lights out – more than 100 hours or five days ago – and the gas consumption has been 4,000 gallons a day or about $14,000 a day if diesel gas is $3.50 a gallon (average estimate).

Right now, Blumenthal stated the focus is getting power restored and then inquiries and investigations can be made as to how CL&P handled staffing and storm preparation efforts to ensure that the most was done to get customers back to power. All attendees agreed that the lack of communication from CL&P with timelines of getting back online was the biggest frustration following the storm. State Representative Pat Widlitz-D, Guilford, Branford, said she had neighbors walking to her home asking when things would be back to normal. Not being able to help them, she said, was frustrating.

As cleanup and restoration efforts continue, Blumenthal said the next goal is to get FEMA aid for Connecticut. He hopes to work with Governor Dannel P. Malloy to make that happen. He urges residents to document all damage so they can apply for the funding.

Captain Geoffrey Morgan of the Branford Police Department said residents should document damage and then be prepared to bring that documentation to a Disaster Recover Center, which will be opened by FEMA in Branford in the coming weeks.

“We will be united I am sure,” said Blumenthal, “in seeking fair treatment from the power company and fair treatment now from the federal government in FEMA funds.”