UI Expects to Restore Power to Majority of Customers this Weekend

The United Illuminating Company, electric subsidiary of UIL Holdings Corporation (NYSE: UIL), expects by the end of this weekend to restore power to nearly all customers left without service by the Aug. 28 hurricane.

UIL Chief Executive Officer James P. Torgerson said the company expects to reduce the outage total to below 10,000 by the end of Friday. By the end of Saturday, at least 98 percent of UI customers should have power, and virtually all customers should have electric service by the end of Sunday.

Torgerson said any customer whose power is still out by the end of the day Sunday should report it to UI’s customer care center at 1-800-7-CALL UI (1-800-722-5584).

As of 1 p.m. on Friday, 20,825 UI customers were still awaiting restoration of electric service, compared with more than 158,000 after Hurricane Irene barreled through the state last weekend, leaving nearly half of all UI customers without power.

“We again want to thank our customers for their patience and support during this restoration process. We will not be satisfied until every customer is restored,” Torgerson said. “Today, we are especially focused on the towns of Fairfield, Easton and Hamden, where more individual outages require more resources.”

The company expected to restore on Friday approximately 80 percent of the customers still without power in those communities. In Fairfield, the company expected by the end of the day Friday to restore 2,029 of the 2,751 customers without power. In Easton, where 1,689 customers were still without power, the company expected to restore 1,220 customers. And in Hamden, the company expected to restore virtually all of the 1,515 customers still without electric service.  

UI on Friday increased the number of available restoration crews to 325.

“Our personnel continue to work closely with our partners in the federal, state and local government to help establish priorities and ensure the smooth flow of information,” said Anthony J. Vallillo, UIL’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Company officials reminded customers that UI can only restore power if the electrical system on the property is undamaged and capable of accepting electrical service.

UI is responsible for repairing the incoming service wire leading to a home or business, including the connection point that attaches UI’s service to the property’s electrical system (see graphic).

It is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure there is no damage to the wires and equipment after the connection point, as well as the entrance cable and the meter base to which the meter is attached. (UI generally owns and maintains the meter and will repair it if it is broken.) Before UI can reconnect electrical service, any damage on the property owner’s side must first be repaired by a licensed electrician.

Company officials continue to urge the public to assume any downed power lines or other electrical equipment to be live and dangerous. Stay far away and report the location and details to UI by calling 1-800-7-CALL-UI (1-800-722-5584).

Outage information is available at UI’s website, www.uinet.com.

Customers of UIL’s gas utilities should report any gas odor or suspected leak to the numbers below:

§         Berkshire Gas Company: 800-292-5012

§         Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation: 866-924-5325

§         Southern Connecticut Gas Company: 800-513-8898

Customers who need other sorts of storm-related assistance should dial 211 to reach the state’s Infoline, which can put them in touch with a variety of local services. Or, they can contact the American Red Cross.