Tuesday, December 18, 2012
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 …
Thursday, July 26, 2012
National Grid could be facing up to $16 million in fines. Attorney General will make an announcement today.
The Associated Press reports that National Grid could be facing more than $16 million in fines connected to its response to two major power outages last year. Attorney General Martha Coakley is scheduled to announce today that she will seek the penalties against the utility for violations during their response to Tropical Storm Irene and the surprise October snowstorm in Massachusetts. In an advisory announcing the news conference, Coakley's office said that the violations include "unacceptably low staffing levels" and the utility's failure to adequately communicate with municipal officials, first responders and customers. Hundreds of thousands of customers of National Grid and other utilities lost power during the storms and some waited …
Monday, February 27, 2012
Medfield State Representative Dan Winslow sends model bylaw for town meeting consideration.
Medfield's State Representative, Dan Winslow (R-Norfolk), has sent a model local bylaw to the Massachusetts Municipal Association that, if adopted by local town meetings or city councils, would allow municipalities to require better maintenance of utility lines by utility companies to reduce the risk of extended power outages from tree damage after storms. Medfield experienced significant power outages as a result of Tropical Storm Irene this past August and last October's Nor'easter. "The utilities have spent millions on lobbyists at the State House to block pending legislation which would increase competition or create incentives for better management of our power grid," said Winslow. "But lobbyists have zero influence at a local town …
Thursday, November 3, 2011
NSTAR has restored all its remaining customers, including those in Medfield without power as of noon Thursday.
On the fifth day of no power for some NSTAR customers in Medfield, the utility has reported on its website as of noon Thursday all customers have been restored to normal operations. Two months after Tropical Storm Irene left 1,000s of Medfield residents without power for days, last weekend's snowstorm provided similar challenges to both residents and their utility company. Facing hundreds of thousands of its customers without power, NSTAR deployed all 3,000 of its employees in restoration efforts and called upon outside agencies from around the country to assist. At the peak of the town's power outage, Medfield Chief of Police Robert E. Meaney Jr. said 57 percent of Medfield was without power early Monday morning. That number steadily …
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
NSTAR customers encouraged to attend post-Tropical Storm Irene public hearing in Framingham on Nov. 16.
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Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Medfield's State Representative, Dan Winslow, (R-Norfolk) announced the State Department of Public Utilities (DPU) will conduct a public hearing for NSTAR customers on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Walsh Middle School, 301 Brook St. in Framingham to discuss NSTAR’s response and procedures for post-Tropical Storm Irene power outages. "The DPU has the power to regulate utility companies that fail to conform to their emergency response plans and to direct fines to offset costs to customers," said Winslow. "This meeting is an important and effective platform for town residents and officials to share their experiences with power outages as a result of [Tropical Storm] Irene and to demand that utilities be more responsive and better …
Monday, October 31, 2011
27 percent of Medfield’s NSTAR customers still without power as of 8:30 a.m. Monday.
Working around the clock, NSTAR reduced the percentage of Medfield customers without power by more than half Monday morning and is estimating full restoration in town for the remaining 1,290 customers without power by Wednesday evening, according to the utility’s website. As of 8:30 a.m., NSTAR is reporting 1,290 of its 4,772 Medfield customers (27 percent) are still without power as a result of Saturday's snowstorm. That number is down from the 2,517 (52.7 percent) reported by the utility company at midnight. Saturday's storm produced three inches of snow, according to Medfield Weather and the weight of it on trees coupled with high winds has caused mass power outages across town and around the state. To date, 4.75 inches of snow has …
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Medfield's Board of Selectmen expressed displeasure at the lack of communication between the town and NSTAR during the Tropical Storm Irene clean-up effort at its Sept. 6 meeting.
Medfield's Board of Selectmen, at Tuesday's meeting, expressed concern with the lack of communication between the town and NSTAR during last week’s Tropical Storm Irene. Although, as Town Administrator, Michael Sullivan, noted, “in the pas,t” NSTAR had always worked with Medfield Police and Public Works “to coordinate top priorities,” in the case of Tropical Storm Irene, “there was none of that coordination until well-after the storm.” Sullivan explained the town’s displeasure was not directed at NSTAR crews, themselves, but at the breakdown of direct communication between the town and the utility. Although, in the past, NSTAR had positioned a crew to work directly with town departments, during Irene the communication was restricted to “…
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Town of Medfield, Town House (Town Hall)
459 Main St, Medfield, MA
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Thursday, September 1, 2011
Your daily regional roundup.
Locals Give National Grid Mixed Reviews Police Station, Library, Give Residents Place to Plug In Championship Pro-Am Wraps Up Pre-Tournament Festivities
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!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
What do you do when the power's out?
Medfield Parents Talk is a feature on Medfield Patch that invites the parenting community to gather and interact with each other on one open forum. This will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. Where can we get information on local flu shot clinics? How can we help our children's schools weather their budget cutbacks? What is the best bedtime for babies? How do I deal with my college freshman and curfew during break? Any idea what do with my teen and texting limits? So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation with today's question: This week in Medfield, we're asking: What do you do when the power goes out during inclement weather? Do you have a set of go-to activities to …
GM
9:39 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
I agree with the preceding comment, although I'm not familiar with the economics behind a conversion to all underground lines -- which would affect the speed that a conversion can be made without unduly affecting electric rates. In the long run, I can't help but think this change would save the utilities money by eliminating tree maintenance costs and probably by increasing the reliability of the… more ›