State Fines Utilities Millions for 2011 Storm Responses

NStar was fined $4 million in responses to Tropical Storm Irene and the October 2011 snowstorm, but already announced it plans to appeal.

The state on Tuesday ordered a total of $24.8 million in penalties to utility companies for their response to storms in 2011. Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan joined Department of Public Utilities (DPU) Chairman Ann Berwick and DPU commissioners today to announce the findings of the DPU’s investigation into responses to Tropical Storm Irene and the October 2011 snowstorm. Provided the penalties hold up, customers should see a reduction in their bill, though it is unclear how much, officials said.  National Grid faces the steepest penalty, at $18.725 million; NSTAR has been ordered to pay $4.075 million; and Western Massachusetts Electric Company to pay $2 million. Recognizing that outages are …

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Hurricane Irene, One Year Later: What Do You Remember?

There are plenty of storms to recall, but surely Irene is still fairly fresh in the minds of area residents.

Chances are last year at this time, you were scrambling to get a generator, or stocking up on bottled water, maybe even calling relatives to see if the family could move over there for a bit.  Irene hit the edge of North Carolina on Aug. 27, 2011, as a Category 1 hurricane. It was the first of its kind to hit land since Ike two years earlier, and most of the East Coast felt its effects, with 2.3 million under mandatory evacuation orders.  Patches in the area covered the effects of Irene, in a live blog that spanned for days. Massachusetts, Vermont and New Jersey felt the most severe impacts from the storm, according to the National Hurricane Center. The National Hurricane Center reports that 49 people were killed as a direct result of the …

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PatchCast: Patriots, Town Management Survey and Irene Response

Your region roundup of news for Tuesday, Sept. 13.

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Medfield Police Received 108 Calls Day of Tropical Storm Irene

Medfield Police received 108 calls of Tropical Storm Irene related incidents on Sunday, Aug. 29.

Tropical Storm Irene hit the region hard Sunday, Aug. 29, leaving nearly 500,000 without power across the state and over 4,000 in Medfield as a result of the storm’s impact. On the day the storm hit the area, Medfield Police received 108 calls reporting Irene related incidents, mainly from residents reporting trees and wires down throughout town. The worst of the storm’s destruction was trees falling through houses and on cars. Some fires were reported to the Medfield Fire Department but were mostly low hanging wires from utility poles. The Medfield Police Department, along with the majority of town, lost power for nearly seven hours on Aug. 29. The following are the calls Medfield Police received the day Irene hit Medfield. Sunday, Aug. …

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Question of the Day

Question of the Day: NSTAR

With power in Medfield nearing full restoration, we are asking how you think NSTAR responded to Hurricane Irene?

Questions and conversations are often the driving forces behind change and understanding between neighbors, officials and political leaders.  At Medfield Patch, we want to hear from you! We're always striving to generate conversation and foster dialogue in an effort to give all of our users a voice in the community. Each day, we'll be asking Medfield Patch readers a different question. Questions could range from local decisions made by officials, to state issues, to national politics and entertainment. Whatever it is, we want to know what Medfield thinks! To answer, click on the words bolded and highlighted in blue and type away. Today's question: How well do you think NSTAR responded to Hurricane Irene? To answer, click here!

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Insurance Claims For Storm Damage Worth Exploring

Document all claims and review policies.

This weekend’s storm – Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene – may not have been the epic weather event some experts predicted. But the combination of high winds and heavy rain did cause property damage from downed tree limbs and water. If your home or automobile sustained damage as a result of the storm, you may have a right to make a claim either against your homeowner’s or automobile insurance policy. If you have flood insurance, that may be applicable as well. If the damage was caused by a tree on someone else’s property, you may have a right to bring a claim against the neighbor. There are some basic things you should do when pursuing an insurance claim. First, make sure that you document carefully all items that are going to be the subject …

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PatchCast: Hurricane Aftermath

A round up of regional headlines for Monday, August 29.

Check your local Patch for more on the Hurricane Irene clean up efforts in your area. Have a storm story? Get in touch with your local editor!

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