Fasano, Formica Call for Lawmakers to be Part of Investigation of Utility Storm Response

“The public needs eyes and ears on what is happening.”

HARTFORD – Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano (R-North Haven) and State Senator Paul Formica (R-East Lyme), ranking member of the Energy & Technology Committee, released the following statement regarding Connecticut’s utility companies’ preparation and response to Tropical Storm Isaias and reports from the state’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) that Eversource was dramatically underprepared:

“Our hearts go out to all those recovering from Tropical Storm Isaias. We understand their deep frustration. PURA’s reports that Eversource in particular was dramatically underprepared for the storm are alarming and infuriating. After Irene, the October storm and Sandy, how could Eversource not be prepared for a tropical storm with weeks of notice? Especially at a time when Eversource executives have slammed Connecticut residents with unaffordable electric bills, at the same time we are all trying to make ends meet and stay safe in the middle of a pandemic, their failures are beyond unacceptable. We agree with Governor Lamont that we need PURA to investigate our utilities immediately, and we also believe lawmakers need to be part of that investigation and get information directly from PURA as soon as they obtain it. State legislators represent the voices of the people, and the public needs eyes and ears on what is happening.

“We appreciate the hard work the men and women who work for Eversource are doing right now. They are pulled away from their families and working day and night to help others. Their jobs are now even harder as a result of a failure of top management. They are doing the best they can with the inadequate plan they were given. We now know the storm was underestimated and wrongly classified by Eversource, and we need their top leaders to recognize these failures and speak openly with the public about how they will right these wrongs. We need urgency, action and information.

“We all remember the damage caused by the slow response of our utility companies during previous storms. But we have never experienced this situation in the middle of a pandemic, when people are doing everything they can to stay home, and now home for many has become unsafe and unlivable. Our families who are struggling financially must figure out how to feed their families when all their food has spoiled. Our job creators and employers must figure out how to recover from loss of product, property damage and loss of business, at a time when those surviving mom and pop shops are already at the end of their rope.

“We again thank the workers who are out there working to restore the power and get information to the public. Top management of Eversource needs to be honest and accountable, to their workers and ratepayers alike.”