Mayor Updates Montville On Power, CL&P Crew Status

Mayor Ronald McDaniel has for days been trying to get answers from CL&P on how many crews are in town, where they are and what they're working on. He finally got that information at 12 p.m. today.

According to a press release provided by Emergency Management Director Raymond Occhialini, McDaniel said he was told there are six crews dedicated to power restoration in Montville. Five crews are working on a circuit covering most of town east of Old Colchester Road and another circuit covering most of the town west of Old Colchester Road. A sixth crew is roving for critical emergencies. Crews from East Lyme are working on the circuit that feeds Chesterfield and the northwest corner of town. No reliable restoration time estimates have been given to us at this time.

“The work begins with getting the backbone of the system repaired then the feeder circuits and then back to spot, that’s my term not theirs, outages, house here, house there. I am trying to get firm numbers and firm time estimates. The best thing is to continue to report outages. Please don’t assume that they (CL&P) know which people are without power. It’s important. I know it’s probably a pain, waiting on the line, but it’s key.”

Still major issues

For example, a CB tower on Chapel Hill Road is “laying on a main power line.”

“We reported that the first night. We’re still waiting on them,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel said that while “most of 32 is up and running” Chesterfield is still out and that part of Rt. 32 from Starr Road to the Quaker Hill Mini Mall is out: “We’re still trying to figure that out.”

“We are working as hard as possible to (get power back on) and we’re going to continue until everything is made right,” he said.

Working on Sandy since before she arrived

McDaniel said town staffers have been at work on Sandy “since the 23rd.”

“We started reviewing our plans, making our game plan, clearing storm drains. Things really got active last Friday when we had a conference call (stateside) and then had 30 staff meet last weekend at the town’s Emergency Operations Center.

“We’ve been straight out since,” he said.