As we continue to deal with the storm aftermath, I would like to reach out and check in to make sure everyone has the information they need to stay safe.
Please reach out to your neighbors and friends to check in, and if you need assistance with electricity, medical needs or other concerns, do not hesitate to contact emergency services, Eversource, United Illuminating or 2-1-1.
I want to thank all our town crews, first responders, linemen, tree crews, and others who have done their best to clear our streets, keep us safe, and to get our power back on. The men and women who are the boots-on-the-ground and who have worked tirelessly deserve our thanks and recognition.
Restoring Power
Eversource and United Illuminating continue to work around the clock to remove debris and trees and restore power throughout the state.
Eversource provided the following update this morning, August 7.
Please continue to be cautious around any downed wires, and report them immediately to Eversource, UI or call 9-1-1.
Eversource now estimates that most everyone’s power will be back by Tuesday. More out-of-state crews are coming and Governor Lamont has called in the National Guard to assist.
To view the outage map, click here.
EVERSOURCE
- Overnight restoration progress was significant, as service to about 91,500 customers was accomplished since our 10 p.m. Thursday, August 6 update.
- As of 9:15 a.m. Friday morning, there are approximately 414,000 customers without service and 526,834 customers have been restored since the storm began at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, August 4.
- With more than 1,000 crews deployed today and more on the way, Eversource estimates storm restoration will be substantially complete by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, with many customers being restored sooner.
- In addition to restoring service, we continue to focus on working with our communities to clear downed trees and brush and open access to blocked roads. The CT National Guard is assisting with these efforts.
- We are grateful to our customers for their patience and recognize the tremendous inconvenience being without electricity presents during this unusual time of COVID-19, with so many people attempting to work from home.
Additionally
- Hundreds of line crews, tree crews, damage assessors and wire-down guards, among others, are currently assisting impacted communities.
- Outage reporting systems and channels are working successfully, and customers are encouraged to use them to report their outage if they had previously been unsuccessful.
- Operations and Contact Centers are fully-staffed and supporting the restoration process.
- Gas operations has not had any significant impacts but continues to monitor the system. Gas personnel are currently supporting electric response operations.
UNITED ILLUMINATING
Level 3 Event: Tropical Storm Isaisas brought a great amount of damage to UI’s 17-town service territory. We planned for a Level 3 event (between 90,000 and 150,000 customers out that includes a 5-7 day restoration goal).
Restoration Update: Since the storm began, UI and contractor crews have restored more than 70,000 customers (from a initial high of 123,000).
As of 11 a.m., there are 52,031 customers without power (2,242 different outage events) – that is 15.4% of our customer base.
TODAY IS A RESTORATION DAY: There are over 300 (up from 200 yesterday with the addition of out-of state crews) two-man crews “safely” working restoration in our 17 towns, tackling the customer outages and priority locations that are set by the municipalities.
We expect most of our customers to have power back by midnight, Saturday, August 8. However, all of the customers (especially the outages that are very small, i.e., 1 or 2 customers) should be back by midnight, Monday, August 10.
Safety Information
Report ALL downed wires to:
Eversource at 800-286-2000
UI at 800.722.5584 (800.CALLUI)
- Stay as far away as possible until crews arrive to make the area safe.
- Before using a generator, make sure it is connected to a home’s wiring through a special transfer switch by a qualified electrician (ensures electricity produced by the generator does not back-feed into electrical lines, endangering the lives of utility line technicians)
- Always operate generators outdoors and as far from the house as possible. Keep it away from doors, windows and air vents to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
- A list of available cooling stations in Connecticut is accessible via United Way 211 at www.211ct.org.
Insurance Claims
If you have suffered damage due to Tropical Storm Isaias these are the steps to take immediately:
- Take photos of the damage and remove personal property if your home cannot be secured. Do not dispose of property until an insurance adjuster has reviewed it for your claim.
- If you can still live in the home, talk with your agent about critical repairs that need to be made. Whether you make the repairs or hire someone, save the receipts for your claim.
- If you need to find other lodging, keep records of expenses and all receipts. Homeowners and renter’s insurance generally provide limited coverage for expenses like: meals, rent, utility installation and transportation.
Reporting Your Claim
- Most insurance companies have a time requirement for filing a claim. The process will go faster if you can locate a copy of your policy and home inventory.
- Call the company or visit a mobile claims center to start your claim. If you need help locating your company or agent, contact the Connecticut Insurance Department at 800-203-3447 or use our online contact options.
- You will be asked to list all items destroyed, damaged or missing. If you do not have a home inventory, begin making a list of items going room by room from memory and include as much detail as possible. Home Inventory checklist
- If your car is damaged while in your garage/carport, it is covered by your automobile policy—not your homeowners policy. If you are insured by two separate companies for these coverages you must file a claim with both companies.
- If you have difficulty reaching your insurer, have a claim dispute or have questions on any insurance-related topic you can reach us by
- Phone (800)203-3447 or (860)297-3900
- Or online
- As a safety measure, the office is currently closed to public visitors
Further tips on filing your storm related claim can be found here.
More information and resources are available here:
https://www.cthousegop.com/storm-isaias-response-resources/
