Citing Consumer Complaints, Blumenthal Blasts Eversource’s Response to Isaias in Pura Testimony

(HARTFORD, CT) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) submitted testimony to the Connecticut Public Utility and Regulatory Authority (PURA) regarding its inquiry into the response of Eversource and United Illuminated following Tropical Storm Isaias. 

“Now is the time for aggressive consumer protections. Many of Connecticut ratepayers are unemployed or retired. Families and small businesses are struggling through an economic crisis unprecedented in our lifetime. A health care crisis continues. It is deeply and flagrantly unfair that they are paying the highest electricity rates in the continental United States,” testified Blumenthal. “It is time to start putting the public first in our public utility.”

Blumenthal also submitted excerpts from 115 complaints about Eversource’s response to Tropical Storm Isaias. Residents from small towns and large cities had their power cut off and suffered losses due to Eversource’s negligent response.

These complaints include:

• “August 4^th and as of August 11^th, we are still without power… we had down power lines by our home… on August 8^th our family dog Buddy, stepped on the grass close to the wires and was electrocuted to death… This is a direct result of at least 6 failures, any one of which could have prevented this.”
• “My medications, Humira, requires refrigeration; our insurance company pays somewhere around 4 thousand dollars a month for this. I received no restoration estimate… I couldn’t even request an additional Humira delivery, given the lack of restoration time”
• “We are professionals working from home during this pandemic. No electricity hinders our ability to continue working from home.”
• “My son is a quadriplegic 36 year old man… His bed would not work we had to call the paramedics to get them out of bed, his breathing machine needs his power… I spent $615.63 to replace food.”
• “I was without power for over 50 hours which resulted in the loss of over $500.00 worth of food… As a senior citizen on a fixed income, during a pandemic I depend on food delivery and therefore purchase as much as will fit in my home at one time to avoid contact with others.”
• “I had brain surgery August 6 and was released August 7. It was for a tumor. However our power has been off for a week now. My 84 year old husband is lifting the 30 pound gas can once a day for the generator for a few hours.”

The frustration on the part of customers with Eversource does not end with their response to Tropical Strom Isaias. Blumenthal’s office has received more than 200 complaints about Eversource’s bill practices and high rates.

As result, Blumenthal is urging that PURA break up Eversource and create a Connecticut based utility possibly with public ownership; eliminate the system of guaranteed profits for Eversource; link rates to performance; and press the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to change the grossly anti-consumer process for approving transmission line projects and costs.

A copy of the full testimony is below:

TESTIMONY OF

UNITED STATES SENATOR RICHARD BLUMENTHAL

PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY

DOCKET 20-08-03

OCTOBER 23, 2020

Thank you for the opportunity to submit written comments regarding PURA’s investigation into “electric distribution companies’ preparation for and response to Tropical Storm Isaias.

As an Eversource customer, I lost power for several days and share the frustration of my neighbors and constituents who wrote to me regarding the long delays and lack of accurate, detailed information concerning its response to the power outages.

I have attached excerpts from 115 complaints about Eversource’s response to Tropical Storm Isaias. The complaints came from all over the state – from North Grosvernordale to Greenwich, Canterbury to New Milford. Residents from small towns and large cities had their power cut off and suffered losses due to Eversource’s negligent response.

These complaints include:

• “What I can’t accept is the lack of communication or transparency on our power outage. Food has spoiled.”
• “August 4^th and as of August 11^th, we are still without power… we had down power lines by our home… on August 8^th our family dog Buddy, stepped on the grass close to the wires and was electrocuted to death… This is a direct result of at least 6 failures, any one of which could have prevented this.”
• “My medications, Humira, requires refrigeration; our insurance company pays somewhere around 4 thousand dollars a month for this… I received no restoration estimate…I couldn’t even request an additional Humira delivery, given the lack of restoration time”
• “My parents have a downed wire on their property, as well as a tree through their house, yet they could not get through to Eversource for nearly 48 hours… continually cut off after following the automated prompts”
• “We are professionals working from home during this pandemic. No electricity hinders our ability to continue working from home.”
• “My son is a quadriplegic 36 year old man… His bed would not work we had to call the paramedics to get them out of bed his breathing machine needs his power… I spent $615.63 to replace food.”
• “The Eversource website was out, the App was unresponsive and phones were not answered for 72 hours. It took Eversource 5 days to get to us.”
• “I was without power for over 50 hours which resulted in the loss of over $500.00 worth of food…. As a senior citizen on a fixed income, during a pandemic I depend on food delivery and therefore purchase as much as will fit in my home at one time to avoid contact with others.”
• “My kids can’t sleep due to the heat. We haven’t showered since last Monday. All of our food is spoiled. My company in Boston can’t understand how our power and internet are still out five days after the storm hit”
• “My family has been without power since last Tuesday and have been driving through unsafe road conditions under huge branches tangled in power lines hanging over the road in many, many locations.”
• My husband and I both work. We stayed at the Stamford Sheraton because they had power, cell service and internet and they allow pets. This is a tremendous cost and burden to our family, nearly $2,000 including having to throw out all of our spoiled food.”
• “I had brain surgery August 6 and was released August 7. It was for a tumor. However our power has been off for a week now. My 84 year old husband is lifting the 30 pound gas can once a day for the generator for a few hours.”
• “Day number nine without power and no water… I am living like it is the third world. No toilets. No showers.”
• “Please let me know what is being done so this will NEVER happen again.”

The frustration with Eversource doesn’t stop with their response to Tropical Strom Isaias. I have received in the past year more than 200 complaints about Eversource’s bill practices and high rates.

In short, these consumer complaints about Eversource’s abjectly poor response in seeking to restore power to families and businesses reinforces my call to:

• Break up Eversource and create a Connecticut based utility possibly with public ownership
• Eliminate the system of guaranteed profits for Eversource; link rates to performance
• Press the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to change the grossly anti-consumer process for approving transmission line projects and costs

The current regulatory system is failing consumers. They pay the highest electricity rates in the continental U.S., yet endure long power outages like the one this month.

Now is the time for aggressive consumer protections. Many of Connecticut ratepayers are unemployed or retired. Families and small businesses are struggling through an economic crisis unprecedented in our lifetime. A health care crisis continues. It is deeply and flagrantly unfair that they are paying the highest electricity rates in the continental United States.

It is time to start putting the public first in our public utility. Thank you.

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