Getting to work restoring power

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- Damage assessment teams and repair crews for Connecticut Light & Power and United Illuminating will be out today to begin turning on the power to the more than 600,000 customers who lost power after Sandy.

"Our system did take on heavy damage," CL&P VP Bill Quinlan said at a Tuesday morning news conference.

Quinlan said the utility will not be making any estimates for when service will be restored to customers until after damage assessments are made.

"It will be a multiple day outage for some customers," Quinlan said. "Many will be restored today," he said.

As for getting work done today and whether it will be too windy for crews, Quinlan said "wind speed should not be a dampening effect today." 850

United Illuminating Senior Vice President Tony Marone said they had 187,000 customers without power at peak outage. Marone said one sub-station that was powered down to protect it from damage from flooding has already been re-energized, and could be back online for customers today.

"We are working our plan, we have resources in place," Marone said.

Quinlan said Cl&P has eleven transmission lines out, and the utility will be conducting aerial patrols to find problems. Two sub-stations of most concern, in Branford and in Stamford, did not sustain damage.

CL&P's priorities for today are responding to emergencies, working with towns and the state to open roads and assessing specific damage to the system.

Marone said UI will have 200 assessors out looking at damage and making work packets for repair crews.

While UI is not yet able to make restoration estimates for customers Marone expects "large chunks" of customers will have their electricity restored today.

Marone said one sub-station that was powered down to protect it from damage from flooding has already been re-energized, and could be back online for customers today.

In terms of total outages, Sandy would rank fourth for CL&P.  

• October 2011 snowstorm -- 803,000 -- 11 days for total restoration
• Storm Irene, Aug. 2011 -- 671,000 -- 9 days
• Hurricane Gloria, Sept. 1985 --    506,150 -- 10 days
• Hurricane Bob, Aug. 1991 -- 275,000 -- 4 days