"Depending on where you live in Western Massachusetts, this could be your fourth major outage event this year," said Massachusetts Environment and Energy Secretary Richard Sullivan.
SPRINGFIELD – Officials are getting heated over continued widespread power outages five days after a crippling snowstorm left hundreds of thousands shivering in the cold and dark.
“I realize it was an historic storm ... that there was a tremendous amount of damage, especially in central and Western Massachusetts – but it’s been days now,” said Gov. Deval Patrick in a briefing with reporters.
“The utilities are going to have to step up,” he said.
Patrick is at the head of a growing list of public officials criticizing power companies for the amount of time needed so far to restore power to hundreds of thousands of people and businesses statewide.
As of 6 p.m. Wednesday, more than 189,000 total customers remained off line, down from a peak of 700,000 on Saturday.
Western Massachusetts Electric Co. was reporting 74,000 remaining outages, roughly 1 in 3 customers in the Pioneer Valley. It has restored service to 76,000 customers.
The National Grid was reporting 115,600 customers still out, including 19,000 in Hampden County, 1,800 in Hampshire County and 1,700 in Franklin County.
Projected restoration times vary from community to community, but some are not expected back on line until as late as Saturday.
Earlier in the day, Attorney General Martha M. Coakley said her office is reviewing how utility companies manage their resources even when a storm is not coming, and what persistent problems need to be corrected.
“I think it’s an important time for us with the (Department of Public Utilities) to say ‘Where are you marshaling your resources?’ Not just the short-term preparation for this storm,” Coakley said at a breakfast event hosted by the public relations firm Denterlein.
Massachusetts Environment and Energy Secretary Richard Sullivan, having toured parts of Western Massachusetts, said the inability of the utility companies to maintain their systems in times of extreme weather will be a hot topic of conversation in Boston for the next several months.
“Clearly there is a growing frustration. I share that frustration and the governor was pretty clear today he is frustrated too,” he said.
Richard Sullivan"Depending on where you live in Western Massachusetts, this could be your fourth major outage event this year," Sullivan said.
Parts of the region saw a tornado, a microburst, a tropical storm and now the October snowfall, each of which caused a significant outage.
The Division of Public Utilities, which oversees the utility providers in the state, will be looking at whether the companies were properly prepared for the storm, if they approached the restoration properly, and if they followed existing emergency plans.
Two utility companies, The National Grid and N-Star, already have open complaints against them for their handling of Tropical Storm Irene in August, he said.
If the tumultuous weather of the past year represents what Sullivan called “the new normal” instead of a series of random freak storms, then the larger question is whether the electrical infrastructure is durable enough for the future.
The answer may be an investing resources into trimming and removing remove trees in problem areas, shore up pole, and in some cases where suitable to bury the lines underground.
The cost of burying the entire system would cost an estimated $1 trillion, which could be prohibitive, he said.
An official with Local 455 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Brian E. Kenney faulted WMECO for having too few electrical line crews on staff, and for restricting their working hours, slowing recovery from the storm. He said his 2,067-member local includes about 85 line workers for WMECO.
“We could easily use another 25 or 30,” Kenney said. “It’s not just WMECO, all these power companies have downsized. Then these utilities go out to hire contractors or bring in mutual aid and there just aren’t enough of those crews to go around.”
Sandra Ahearn, a WMECO spokeswoman, said the company feels it is adequately staffed for normal operations and just cannot staff for disasters.
“We can’t staff the company the way we did years ago,” she said. “We were a different company then. We had our own power generation. The industry is different.”
Last year when WMECO petitioned the state for a rate increase, the company asked for more money from rate payers to hire and train eight more line workers. The state turned that request in February.
Ahearn said its a safety issue and workers need their rest. Early on, the company allowed employees to work more than 16 hours. But as the days go on, WMECO tries to make sure every worker gets eight hours off. “We know fatigue is cumulative,” she said. “But if they are close to finishing a job, no one walks away. They stay and finish if it is reasonable.”
For this recovery, WMECO has called in crews from other power companies and private contractors from North Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri and Kansas to bolster local recovery efforts, Ahearn said.
“Normally, we can pull crews from Vermont, upper New York state and sometimes Maine,” Ahearn said, adding that those crews are currently doing recovery work in their own states.
The company has 150 line crews, another 120 tree removal crews, and 20 services crews working on the restoration. That is seven times the ordinary staffing, she said.
In Springfield, 31,400 customers, or 49 percent of the city was without power, and WMECO officials were projecting full power would be restored by Friday or early Saturday.
Nearly half the city remained without power on Wednesday, but the number of power line crews and tree cutting crews was growing and more roads were reopening, according to H. Edgar Alejandro, of WMECO.
The company expected to have 70 crews working in Springfield by Wednesday night, an increase from 12 one day earlier.
Meanwhile, line workers and tree crews were being fed and housed at the Better Living Center at the Big E in West Springfield Wednesday night.
“These are workers who have driven with their vehicles from as far away as Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Michigan,” WMECO spokesman James Connolly said.
The Big E has a facility large enough to house the workers.
“By Thursday morning we’re expecting 1,000 workers here for breakfast,” Big E spokesman Noreen Tassinari said.
Northeast Utilities worker Anthony Porter, a former lineman, said the line workers risk their lives during storms to restore power.
The scale of damage from Saturday’s storm is larger than any he has seen, he said. “Compared to this, Hurricane Irene was a baby,” he said.
In other news:
Springfield
Allan R. Chwalek, the city’s director of public works, said he is hopeful that all roads in Springfield would be open to emergency vehicles by late Wednesday. The city is being assisted by Ashbritt Environmental and the Army National Guard in clearing trees and branches, he said.
Many roads remain partially blocked by trees, including some main roads, but the priority is to reopen roads, while some tree removals are delayed until power lines are checked and secured, Chwalek said.
Residents can drag tree debris from their yards and place it at the curb for city pickup, Chwalek said.
The city’s shelter at Central High School took in 257 Springfield residents on Tuesday night and remains open on Wednesday, said Helen R. Caulton-Harris, the city’s director of health and human services.
In addition, a regional shelter is closing at Chicopee High Schook and 34 Springfield residents staying there were being transported to Central High School on Wednesday afternoon, Caulton-Harris said.
Holyoke
School will resume Thursday. As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, fewer than 500 customers were without power, mostly isolated outages around the city. The goal is to have power restored 100 percent by Saturday, Mayor Elaine A. Pluta said.
The city will collect branches and tree debris curbside. Residents also can dispose of trees and branches at the public works yard at Berkshire and Main streets, she said.
Kevin Elliott of Holyoke’s Board of Health said 10 city residents stayed over night at the emergency shelter at the War Memorial. There were also 15 workers from utility crews from Virginia and North Carolina who stayed there because they could not find any hotel vacancies in the area, he said.
Chicopee
Ninety-three percent of all homes and businesses have electricity, but it could still take days to restore power for the remaining about 1,500 households.
“The remaining number of connections have serious repair issues that take longer ... each takes two to eight hours depending on how severe it is,” Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said.
While the focus will continue to be on restoring electricity, the city is also starting to begin cleaning up the massive amount of fallen tree limbs. It has hired a private company to do the work because it would take months if the Department of Public Works tried to do it in between picking up trash and completing road projects, he said.
People can leave brush on the curb to be collected. Residents can also take unlimited loads of waste to the city’s landfill, Bissonnette said.
Chicopee Schools will be closed for the rest of the week.
Longmeadow
The American Red Cross – Pioneer Valley has established a shelter in Longmeadow now that the regional shelter at Chicopee High School has closed.
Select Board Chairman Mark P. Gold said the shelter will be run by the Red Cross at the high school, which now has power.
The warming shelter, which was established at Center School, will now be moved to the high school as well, he said.
East Longmeadow
Sixty-five percent of the town is still without power as National Grid tries to restore power to the town’s 5,500 households.
The shelter established at Birchland Park Middle School will remain open Wednesday and Thursday if necessary, said Council on Aging Director Carolyn Brennan.
Sally Chapman, a senior citizen, who arrived on Sunday night, said the shelter staff has been wonderful.
“They are organized and have been so helpful,” she said. -NT>
Trash pick-up is on a one day delay. The town is allowing residents to put out one extra bag of trash.
Easthampton
Mayor Michael Tautznik reported that 25 percent of the city was still without power as of Wednesday evening.
Easthampton High School was among the buildings not yet back on line. Tautznik said the School Department had not yet decided whether or not there would be school on Thursday.
All Easthampton streets were clear and passable except Strong Street, where a tree remained toppled onto a wire.
The Community Center of Clark Street was serving hot meals Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. to anyone who wanted one. The Public Safety Complex on Payson Avenue is available as a warming center and for people to charge their cell phones.
Northampton
As of Wednesday afternoon power had been restored to 96 percent of the households in Northampton, according to city officials.
The regional shelter operated by the American Red Cross at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School was to remain open through Wednesday night. About 10 people remained at the shelter.
Smith School, meanwhile, is scheduled to reopen on Thursday. Other city schools reopened Wednesday.
The Department of Public Works continues to clear debris on the sidewalks and roads, but will not return to a street after it has been cleared. Residents are advised not to place debris on those rights of way. The city is reminding residents that tree limbs that fall on private property are the responsibility of the owner. Those without vehicle permits may dispose of debris at the landfill with a free pass from the city.
Amherst
Crews continue to remove downed trees but more than a dozen roads are either partially blocked or impassable.
The Jones Library, meanwhile, reopened Wednesday, but Amherst Schools are closed and will remain closed Thursday as well.
While power is still out for about a third of the town, more businesses are reopening including Atkins Country Market.
Hadley
Hadley schools are set to reopen Thursday.
Belchertown
Schools are canceled for the rest of the week in Belchertown, as more than half of the town is still without power due to Saturday’s snow storm, according to officials.
The shelter at the high school on Springfield Road is still operating, and 60 people stayed there overnight. Numerous residents have been stopping in to take showers there, or for hot food, according to officials.
Water is also available at Town Hall for anyone who needs it.
Palmer
Acting Superintendent Thomas A. Charko said school will be closed for the remainder of the week and are likely to reopen Monday.
Converse Middle School is still being used as a shelter, as 39 percent of the town is still without power. There were 180 people at the shelter Tuesday night, and between 50 and 60 people there Wednesday morning. The school food service staff has been providing meals to people at the shelter.
Ware
The shelter at the high school on West Street will remain open through Friday. More than 50 percent of the town has no power.
Those who are staying at the shelter are asked to bring blankets, pillows and their medications. No pets are allowed.
Tree crews are working to clear the roads, and said burning of brush is not being permitted at this time. If that changes, information will be posted on the town’s website, www.townofware.com.
Monson
School Superintendent Patrice L. Dardenne said that there will be no school in Monson for the rest of the week. Ninety percent of the town still doesn’t have power, including Granite Valley Middle School, he said.
The shelter is continuing to operate at Quarry Hill Community School, where approximately 40 people stayed Tuesday night, Dardenne said. The shelter will remain open for as long as there is a need, officials said.
Wales
Police Chief Dawn Charette said nearly 100 percent of the town is still without power, and shelter is being provided at Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary. She said six people have been staying there since Sunday, but between 10 and 20 are coming in throughout the day for warmth or food. There are no showers, but hot water is available for people to wash with, she said.
Warren
A shelter remains open at Quaboag Regional Middle-High School in Warren for Warren and West Brookfield residents. School is canceled again on Thursday. Warren police said 75 percent of the town is still without power, but downtown has electricity, along with East and Bemis roads.
Hardwick
Hardwick residents without power were being encouraged to go to New Braintree Town Hall.
Wilbraham
As of Wednesday night, 41 percent of residents in Wilbraham were still without power and schools are to remain closed Thursday.
Residents from Wilbraham and Hampden were invited to use an emergency shelter set up at the Hampden Senior Center on Allen Street.
About 40 people have been spending the night at the center on cots. The Medical Reserve Corps of Wilbraham has been providing medical coverage at the site around the clock.
Westfield
Utility crews continued an around-the-clock effort to restore electricity to the city’s 19,000 customers Wednesday but officials warned that the effort may not be completed until Saturday.
Fewer than 5,000 customers remained without power late Wednesday and that number was being reduced each hour, said Westfield Gas and Electric Department spokesman Sean Fitzgerald.
“By the weekend we expect to be 100 percent complete,” he said.
Mayor Daniel M. Knapik said the last to have power restored will be an estimated 600 customers who have experienced down lines on their property. “Those who have service connection issues, unfortunately, will be the last to get power restored,” Knapik said.
Westfield schools and Westfield State University remain closed until Nov. 7.
The university continues to offer shelter at its Juniper Park School and Scanlon Hall on campus and the campus dining commons is open to the public from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Southwick
Schools in the Southwick-Tolland Regional School District, including Granville’s Village School, will again be closed Thursday.
Superintendent of Schools John D. Barry said he will make a decision about Friday by Thursday afternoon.
Electricity to the four district schools as of Wednesday afternoon had not yet been restored.
Agawam
Electrical service had been restored to more than 31 percent of the community as of 1 p.m. Wednesday, according to Mayor Richard A. Cohen.
The mayor said that about half of the city was expected to have power again later tonight.
Meanwhile, now that power has been restored to Town Hall and the city’s servers are back up, Cohen said officials are posting information pertinent to the disaster on both the city’s Web site wwwagawam.ma.us and its Facebook page.
Tuesday about 50 people spent the night at the Senior Center, which has been opened as a warming center and will accommodate people until power has been restored to the entire community, according to Cohen.
Schools continued to be closed and were scheduled to reopen Monday.
Cohen said two National Guard crews are assisting city workers clear away brush. He asked that residents bring their downed trees and tree limbs to their tree belt for collection.
West Springfield
Mayor Edward J. Gibson said that 51 percent of the city was still without electrical service and he was hopeful most of the community would have power by Friday.
Meanwhile, about 50 people were sheltered overnight Tuesday at the Senior Center, which has been opened as a warming facility.
Schools continued to be closed Wednesday as neither Tatham nor Coburn school have power and numerous side streets are still impassable, according to the mayor.
Starting Saturday, the city will have private hauler start picking up tree limbs and other storm-related debris that residents may set out on their tree belts. Collection will continue until Dec. 15.
Debris other than tree waste will not be eligible for collection. Call the Department of Public Works at (413) 263-3246 with any questions.