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As Frustration Mounts, Will October's Storm Change State Policy?

Chion Wolf

http://cptv.vo.llnwd.net/o2/ypmwebcontent/Chion/CMS%2011-02-2011.mp3

In the audio embedded here, you'll hear Wednesday afternoon interviews with Gov. Danel P. Malloy, energy and environment commissioner Dan Esty, a vice-president for CL&P, an electrical workers' union official, a key state legislator and a consultant on how utilities can change their infrastructure to make it more storm-resistant.

Grumbling about the performance of Connecticut Light & Power restoring utilities after a storm is an ingrained state hobby in Connecticut, but allegations and reports made in the last 24 hours make it look, for the first time, as if there are some real reasons to call the company on the carpet.

The Hartford Courant reported some of the contractors who did power restoration work after Tropical Storm Irene had not been paid by CL&P and that, in some cases, those companies sent their crews somewhere else this time.

There are also conflicting statements from CL&P about whether the company has a policy against "reserving" crews before a storm by paying them to be on standby. The Courant raised questions about why other utilities are slow to help Connecticut.

Meanwhile, a spokesman from the electrical workers union at CL&P says the company doesn't have enough linemen to keep up with normal repairs. So, forget about a big storm.

Listen to the audio about to hear Governor Dannel Malloy, DEEP Commissioner Dan Esty and representatives from tCL&P and the Electrical Union Local 420.

Leave your comments below, e-mail colin@wnpr.org or Tweet us @wnprcolin.

Colin McEnroe is a radio host, newspaper columnist, magazine writer, author, playwright, lecturer, moderator, college instructor and occasional singer. Colin can be reached at colin@ctpublic.org.

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