(CT)Senate Democrats offer plan to safeguard electric service

The CT Mirror ^

[matt04]

Majority Democrats in the state Senate announced a multi-tiered initiative Wednesday to better safeguard electric service and to hold Connecticut's utilities accountable through new performance standards and penalties.

The proposal includes a $300 million state investment over the next decade to create "microgrids" -- sections of community centers with extra safeguards to ensure electric service remains available for grocery stores, gasoline stations and other vital service providers during large-scale outages.

"It is imperative that Connecticut's utility companies be prepared for the next storm so that our residents' health and safety are not needlessly put at risk and that (utilities) are held accountable for their performance," said Senate President Pro Tem Donald E. Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn. "Connecticut residents shouldn't be left in the dark -- and if utility companies can't restore power in a timely manner, we'll hold them financially accountable for their failures."

...

Democrats, who control 22 of the 36 seats in the Senate, didn't outline specific standards or penalties Wednesday, adding that their proposal would charge the state's Public Utility Regulatory Authority, with developing those rules.

That concept also has drawn support from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy as well as from leaders of the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives.

[matt04]

An how much will these state mandated "microgrids" cost customers?

They seem destined to fail as even if they have 2nd power source, such as large diesel genset(s), a tree taking out one wire will render it useless.

Living in CT during the October storm and Irene, almost every major chain grocery store was open and had some form of backup generation capacity to run lighting, registers, etc. Within a day or two many had brought in large diesel generators to bring their refrigeration, heat, etc back. Also, some major drug stores and gas stations secured generators to get their stores open withing a day or two.

[Red Badger]

Just put the lines underground................

[BenLurkin]

Sorry but whenever the Democrats say they want to “safeguard” something, what they really mean is remove it one more step away from control by the people.

[blackdog]

Another list from which preferencial status may be purchased for initial and sustained campaign contributions and political loyalties.

[blackdog]

The mains cannot go underground. Only the final service lines after pole transformers step down voltage to household power can be buried. The mains run @ thousands of volts.

[poobear]

You guys in CT might need to take some advice from local municipalities in Florida especially during the wham bam than you m’am summer of 2005. Most of you may be eating too much pate to be paying attention, but it is your responsibility to make sure your home or business isn’t affected by lack of power NOT the local government. They’ll get to you eventually, but not immediately.

Note: G E N E R A T O R S

Please look them up.

[Cowman]

I think the biggest problem is the lines were not properly maintained. After years of just trimming enough to keep the lines from shorting there was so much heavy growth near the lines that when a big storm hit everything went into the lines and they came down. What I found interesting was that the areas that lost power in the hurricane didn't loose power during the snow storm because the trees that could fall had been cleared out.

[HarleyD]

Senate President Pro Tem Donald E. Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn. "Connecticut residents shouldn't be left in the dark -- and if utility companies can't restore power in a timely manner, we'll hold them financially accountable for their failures."

Yeah! This happens in Maryland. The politicians denies the electric company rate increases for years and years and then when a snow storm hits they blame the electric company for not maintaining their equipment. The politicians never get blamed.

This is old school communism.

[meatloaf]

We installed the conduit for a utility to relocate an overhead line underground. That was three phase power and something higher than 440V because the was the output service voltage to the building’s main panel from the transformer that was connected to the line.

[blackdog]

I am in the process of installing a gunnite pool and huge landscaping project in our back yard patioscape. We had to reroute our power lines to provide clearance from any possible vertical fall into the swimming pool. It's a code thing. I looked into running them underground too. Unless I could pursuade 75 neighbors to cough up $2,600 each, I had to stay with above ground elevated service mains.

The three trees I have to cut down is going to leave the entire neighborhood without power for about four hours. They already don't like me for that.

As for three phase power, I hi-leg the single phase which for me works in most applications.