Senator Murray Questions Utilities' Response to Irene

Senate President Therese Murray has questions about the response of two major electric utilities in Massachusetts after Tropical Storm Irene swept through the state Aug. 28.

Murray, D-Plymouth, has sent letters to the presidents of NStar and National Grid, asking them for answers about the utilities lack of response to local officials and the cost of overtime for local public safety departments that had to monitor downed wires for hours before utility crews could respond. Murray is asking both utilities to do a better job letting local officials know when and where crews plan to be and what their plans are when the next major storm hits.

In the letter to NStar CEO Thomas J. May sent Sept. 6, Murray questions the utility’s inability to communicate its response to local officials.

“While no one expected power to be restored immediately, for people to be told power would not be restored for 6-7 days with no knowledge of assessment, deployment and anticipated response times is unacceptable,” Murray writes.

Local officials in several towns were frustrated by the lack of response and some threatened to look into moving to another utility or creating local utility companies.

Without knowing when utility crews would arrive, local police and fire departments had to look after downed wires for hours, adding to overtime costs and slowing response times for other emergencies, Murray added in the letter to NStar chief May.

“Should a similar situation occur in the future, public safety officials need to have this information available to them.”

Murray asked both utilities what could be done in the future about at-risk trees. Trees and branches knocked down by 70-mile-per hour wind gusts caused most of the damage on the South Shore.

She asked whether the utilities have plans to be proactive about the removal of trees and branches in the future, while ensuring that town officials and residents have the opportunity to comment on any removals.