Dec 22, 2008 1:48 pm US/Eastern
11 Days Later, Unitil Customers Losing Patience
FITCHBURG (WBZ) ―
Eleven days after the region was crippled by an ice storm that left three-quarters of a million households in the dark, thousands are still suffering without power. Understandably, they are running out of patience.
11 DAYS LATER
In Fitchburg, about 1,500 households have been without power since Friday, December 12. On Monday, 6,600 additional customers lost power when a transmission line failed.
Next door in Lunenburg there are several hundred people without power. Those customers are served by Unitil, which is now the target of a
state investigation for the way they handled the mass power restoration.
"We have the most people per capita without power, so the situation continues to remain serious," said Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wall.
"Why do we have to continue to suffer?" Joan Bowman of Lunenburg wrote to WBZ. "Can you imagine living 10 days without power in this weather? We have nothing left, and now our hope is gone."
NATIONAL GRID CALLED IN
National Grid has been called in to help Unitil customers. The utility said 320 crews will be working in the Fitchburg area on Monday. The latest estimate is that power will be restored by the end of Tuesday, "except for
scattered individual issues and potentially some cleanup work in Ashby."
Meanwhile, dozens are still living in shelters.
"My kids are sick. I want them to be able to sleep in their beds at home" said Yanali Vega.
Once power has been restored fully,
Governor Deval Patrick will ask the Department of Public Utilities to
conduct an investigation into why it took Unitil so long to restore power.
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTAGES LINGER
In New Hampshire, 11,000 households remain without power. PSNH, the state's largest utility said the weekend storms slowed their crews, which continue to work around the clock. More than 1,200 line and tree-trimming crews are working in New Hampshire.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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