CL&P Emergency Preparedness and Response Briefing
Tuesday, November 26, 2013, 11:30 a.m.
CL&P Preparing for Heavy Rain and High Winds
Operational Status: Monitor
OVERVIEW AND SYSTEM STATUS
· Rain and high winds in Connecticut later today, Tuesday, November 26, are anticipated to be heaviest starting around midnight through noon Wednesday, November 27. The weather will start as a wintry mix in the northwest corner of the state between 6 – 8 p.m. tonight. The winds will pick up again late Wednesday and will last through Thursday evening. Rainfall could reach 2 – 4 inches, with isolated higher amounts. There is a potential for flooding. Sustained wind speeds of 15 – 25 mph are expected, with gusts of 40 – 50 mph. The weather will affect the entire state, with the highest winds near the seacoast and in the Eastern Division towns.
· CL&P prepares for severe weather every day and is poised to respond to any potential impacts from this storm.
· We are particularly sensitive to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and have crews and support personnel in place throughout the state, ready to respond to potential outages.
PLANNING
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· There are winter storm warnings in northern New England, so CL&P’s sister companies may be affected by stormy weather as well.
· Storm safety messaging was sent out to CL&P management employees this morning, to be shared with all field employees and contractors.
· For driving safety, avoid standing water in low-lying areas, prevent hydroplaning by slowing down on wet roads, and watch for wet leaves and debris on all roadways.
LOGISTICS
· Storm rooms across CL&P’s service territory are ready for activation, as needed.
· Equipment stocking and vehicle fueling are under way today.
OPERATIONS
· MONITOR MODE: Conditions exists that present a potential risk, but pose no immediate threat, to CL&P operations or service to customers.
· CL&P transmission and distribution systems are expected to be in normal configuration by close of business today.
· CL&P’s Emergency Operations Center will be staffed starting at 5 a.m. on Wednesday, November 27.
PUBLIC INFORMATION
· CL&P’s Emergency Coordination staff will be providing a Storm Briefing to communities today, including the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, towns, and regulators.
· To report an outage, call 800-286-2000 or visit www.cl-p.com.
· Customer reminders, in the event of outages, include: safety around downed wires and proper generator use. For safety tips, go to www.cl-p.com.
· For restoration updates:
– Visit the Storm Center at www.cl-p.com
– Follow us on Twitter @CTLightandPower
– Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/ctlightandpower