Weekend Windstorm

Causes Scattered Electrical Outages

By Andrew Gorosko

The town’s volunteer firefighters were busy last weekend during a windstorm laced with torrential rains on Saturday, October 28, followed by a period of high winds the next day.

Firefighters responded to at least 13 wind-related calls that involved high winds bringing down trees and tree limbs. The fallen trees often brought down power lines with them, creating isolated electrical outages in scattered areas.

Connecticut Light & Power Company (CL&P) spokesman Mitch Gross said that the number of local CL&P customers who were without electricity during any given time during the windy conditions fluctuated based on weather conditions.

In the state, electrical outages during the windstorm were scattered and isolated, generally not affecting any broad area, he said.

At one point on October 28, about 148 CL&P customers in Newtown were without electric service, Mr Gross said. CL&P has more than 10,700 customers in Newtown.

Electrical service typically failed when high winds caused trees or tree limbs to fall onto electric lines, disrupting those lines’ electric service. 

Statewide, during the height of the scattered outages on October 28, approximately 18,000 CL&P customers were without electricity, Mr Gross said. The following day, the number of customers without power statewide peaked at 10,300, he said. CL&P has 1.2 million customers overall.

On October 28, volunteer firefighters responded to electrical line problems caused by high winds at Prospect Drive, Poverty Hollow Road, Berkshire Road, Crossbrook Road, Mt Pleasant Road, Great Quarter Road, Georges Hill Road, West Street, and Locust Drive. The fire calls ran from 9:08 am to 1:17 pm.

The following day, wind-related electrical line problems were reported at Scudder Road, Boggs Hill Road, Sugar Street, and Saw Mill Road. Those fire calls occurred from 1:09 am to 12:55 pm.