Utility's Executives Back In Merrimack Valley To Discuss Recovery

ANDOVER, MA -- Executives from Columbia Gas of Massachusetts will speak at open houses in the Merrimack Valley for the second time in as many weeks Saturday. Columbia Gas of Massachusetts President Steve Bryant, NiSource Chief Executive Joe Hamrock, Chief Recovery Officer Joe Albanese and Chief Restoration Officer Pablo Vegas will make comments and take questions from residents who were affected by the Sept. 13 gas explosions in Andover, North Andover and Lawrence.

The Andover Open House will run from 8-11 am at the Doherty Middle School at 50 Bartlett Street Saturday, with the executives scheduled to speak from 9-10. In North Andover, the open house will run from 11 am to 2 pm at the North Andover High School at 430 Osgood Street, with the executives speaking at noon. And in Lawrence, the executives will speak at 2 pm at the open house that runs from 2-5 pm at Lawrence High School.

Two weeks ago the executives faced a barrage of questions from angry residents in a similar round of open houses. The open houses came just days after the utility said it was going to miss a Nov. 19 deadline to finish the restoration effort by at least a month.

Watch a video of the October 27 Columbia Gas open house in North Andover:

As the utility did two weeks ago, Columbia Gas will have staff on hand to answer questions on a range of topics, including alternate housing solutions, personal and commercial claims, appliance and equipment installation, home and business re-lights, construction, energy efficiency, gas safety and billing.

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Top photo from left to right: Columbia Gas of Massachusetts President Steve Bryant, NiSource Chief Executive Joe Hamrock, Chief Recovery Officer Joe Albanese and Chief Restoration Officer Pablo Vegas at a meeting with North Andover residents on October 27. Photo and video by Dave Copeland/Patch.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).