Community Corner
As Irene Moves In, CL&P Has Extra Crews on Standby
Utility opens its Emergency Operations Center; provides toll free numbers for reporting power outages.
CL&P says its has wire and tree crews on standby in the Fairfield County area to respond to power outages from Hurricane Irene.
In addition CL&P has opened its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Berlin. CL&P customers experiencing power outages can report them by calling (860) 665-5670 or (800) 789-2290.
The utility says it has a total of more than 800 crews, some from as far away as Ohio, Michigan and Florida, at its disposal.
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But don't expect CL&P workers to be be out working during the height of the storm.
“Their safety is as important to us as the safety of the public we serve,” said Jeff Butler, CL&P president and chief operating officer in a press release this evening. “Once conditions allow, we will begin responding to 911 calls to de-energize downed wires and make the area safe. At the same time, we will work with town public works crews to clear roads for emergency vehicles and begin restoring power to our customers.”
Find out what's happening in Greenwichwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Butler said CL&P continues to communicate with town and state officials “to make sure all of our efforts are coordinated."
During the storm, CL&P urges residents to adhere to the following safety precautions:
- Stay at least 10 feet away from all wires! Assume any downed, hanging or burning power lines are live and dangerous. If a power line falls on your vehicle while you’re inside, stay there. Don’t touch anything outside the vehicle and wait for emergency crews. Call 9-1-1 immediately with any emergency condition.
- To report outages or check the status of an outage visit cl-p.com or call 800-286-2000. Our automated phone and on-line systems rapidly process your report and help us speed restoration efforts. They also provide restoration estimates as soon as they’re available.
- Do you have a generator? Make sure it has been properly installed by a licensed electrician. Improperly installed generators can feed electricity back into power lines and pose a deadly situation for line and emergency restoration workers. Always operate generators outdoors to avoid carbon monoxide hazards.
Residents can track power outages across CL&P’s service area in near real time here.
