September 16, 2011

REP. ROJAS LOOKS TO IMPROVE CL&P RESPONSE
Asks for residents’ input on Hurricane Irene experience

Legislative hearings focused on utility companies’ power restoration efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene will be held in Hartford in the next two weeks and state Rep. Jason Rojas wants to hear from residents about their experience with the storm in an effort to improve the response of CL&P to large scale electricity outages.

Irene knocked out power to more than half of Connecticut when it hit the state on the last weekend of August, with tens of thousands of homes and businesses still in the dark a week later.

“Frontline CL&P workers and crews brought in from out of state did an incredible job under extremely difficult circumstances, but when people had to wait up to a week or more to get their power back there are some tough questions we have to ask as we work to find ways to improve the response,” said Rojas. “In many cases, when the power goes out people are also without water and that adds serious health issues on top of inconvenience. Thankfully, this didn’t happen in the cold of winter.”

The legislature’s Energy, Public Safety, Planning and Development, and Labor committees will conduct the hearings to examine what went right and wrong with the hurricane response and to make sure the state and utility companies are better prepared for the inevitable next major storm.

On September 19th, the first hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. with representatives of CL&P, UI and municipal utilities, followed by municipal representatives and officials from telephone, cable and wireless utility companies. The hearing will conclude at 4:30 p.m.

On September 26th, members of the public will have the opportunity to appear before the committees beginning at 9:00 a.m., followed by union representatives and the electric utility companies. Members of the public will have an additional chance for comment before the hearing closes in early afternoon.

And for those who cannot attend, Senate and House Democrats have set up Facebook and Twitter accounts at http://www.facebook.com/pages/After-Irene-CT/262762473747233 and http://twitter.com/#!/AfterIreneCT to accept public comments and suggestions about experiences with the storm and the state’s readiness for and response to it.

Rojas, a member of Planning and Development), is asking residents interested in providing input to email him their suggestions, concerns and experience with Irene at Jason.Rojas@cga.ct.gov so that he can get that information to other legislators in a timely fashion.

“Government’s top responsibility is to protect and serve the public, and the time is now to prepare and figure out what can be improved upon when the next Irene strikes,” Rojas said.