Performance standards for utilities and a statewide disaster drill are just two of the items Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is asking the General Assembly to put forward this year to improve the state and utilities response to major weather events.

Continue reading "Malloy Readies The State For Next Storm" »

Tags: storm, Utilities, weather, snow storm, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, Connecticut Light & Power, PURA, regulation

The secret to better solar panels just might be in a big magnet.

Continue reading "A Clean-Energy Promise: Hope Meets Hype" »

For the past few years, Connecticut had the distinction of having the highest electric rates in the continental United States, second only to Hawaii. However, recent data shows Alaska and New York, have overtaken Connecticut.

Continue reading "CT No Longer Has Second Highest Electric Rates" »

Tags: electricity, competitive transmission assessment, kilowatt hour, meter, rate

(Updated 2:17 p.m.) It’s an annual tradition where politicians join pediatricians at the Connecticut Medical Center and the Connecticut Public Interest Research Group to talk about potentially dangerous and toxic toys.

Continue reading "Trouble In Toyland 2011" »

Tags: toys, Toxic Chemicals, Blumenthal, ConnPIRG, trouble, hazards, phthalates

Union officials told Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s Two Storm Panel Friday that working 16 hours with a mandatory eight hour rest period - to avoid coming back on double-time - hindered the ability of crews to restore power quickly during the October snowstorm

Continue reading "Some Union Officials Unhappy With Storm Response" »

Tags: snowstorm, storm panel, Frank Cirillo, IBEW

(Updated 3:59 p.m.) Fresh off the heels of his trip to Kuwait and Afghanistan, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said there was “precious little doubt” Friday that the state needs to be more aggressive in trimming trees near power lines.

Continue reading "Malloy: State Needs to Get More Aggressive on Trees" »

Tags: Irene, October Nor'easter, Two Storm Panel, tree trimming, department of energy and environmental protection, Hugh McQuaid

The Connecticut Siting Council (CSC) unanimously Thursday denied a request from a cell company to shield information from the public regarding the impact of two historic storms on cell service.

Continue reading "Council To Verizon: Hand Over The Storm Data" »

Tags: wireless, cellphone, Verizon, Siting Council

As electric utilities faced Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s Two Storm Panel this week, at least one wireless telephone provider is working to avoid public scrutiny of their performance by the Connecticut Siting Council (CSC).

Continue reading "CT TECH JUNKIE | Verizon Wireless Seeks Protective Order" »

Public Utility Regulatory Authority officials told Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s Two Storm Panel Wednesday that there is no standard or benchmark for them to apply to the tree trimming policies developed by the utilities, and despite the slight increase in the utilities’ tree trimming budgets fewer trees are being trimmed.

Continue reading "Regulators: Tree Trimming Largely Up To Utilities" »

Tags: tree trimming, Connecticut Light & Power, United Illuminating, PURA, electricity, storm, Irene

(Updated 5 p.m.) In what could be seen as another communications failure for Northeast Utilities, the parent company of Connecticut Light & Power, a press release calling for a conference call with the media went out minutes before the telephone conference was held. Only two reporters were on the call.

Continue reading "Communication Failures Continue; NU President Offers Apology and $10M" »

Tags: snowstorm, October, Charles W. Shivery, Northeast Utilities, Connecticut Light & Power, NU, CL&P, power outage