Thursday, January 31, 2013
Roughly 2,178 customers still affected in Massachusetts.
The strong winds from last night and today have left hundreds of Acton residents without power today. According to NSTAR, as of 1:45 p.m., 159 customers in Acton have lost power, or 2 percent of its customers. According to the National Weather Service, a wind advisory is still in effect for Acton until 6 p.m. Westerly winds blowing from 15 to 25 mpg, with gusts up to 50, can be expected. Is your neighborhood without power? Tell us in the comments section below.
Friday, February 17, 2012
The state Senate has passed a bill addressing utilities' emergency response, but is it enough?
Many Massachusetts residents spent days in the dark last year after two unusual weather events -- Tropical Storm Irene and an October snowstorm -- wiped out power to hundreds of thousands of homes. Each time, residents joined local and state officials in expressing their disappointment and anger at utility companies who seemed uncommunicative and slow when it came to restoring services. Now, the Massachusetts Senate is taking steps to change the way utility companies respond during emergencies. According to a press release from the Office of Sen. Richard Ross (R-Wrentham), a bill passed by the Senate on Thursday would require public utility companies to do the following: - After a 24-hour assessment period, "provide twice-daily estimates …
Sunday, January 29, 2012
NSTAR preps for the next big storm.
Irene and the Oct. 29 storm left many in Acton without power for days. NSTAR is looking to curb Acton’s chances of losing power when the next big storm hits by trimming lots of tree branches near wires in the coming weeks. Starting Monday, a private contractor hired and paid for by NSTAR, Lucas Tree Experts, will begin a 6-8 week process of clearing branches that are hanging near wires. The crew trims by circuit, not by street, which means they focus on the wires that are connected to one circuit. The team will focus on the circuit that stretches from Parker Street all the way to Nagog Woods. "Certainly this is a response from previous storms so it is a positive improvement from my point of view,” said Dean Charter, Acton’s Tree Warden. “…
Monday, November 7, 2011
Here is a post-storm Q&A with Acton Town Manager, Steven Ledoux.
Acton Patch: How do you feel the communication went between the Town and NSTAR this time around? Ledoux: I still think there are a lot of problems. We communicated to NSTAR what we thought the main priorities and they had different priorities. A good case and point is Robbins Street because there were downed power lines and trees that blocked a dead end street and we couldn’t get emergency vehicles down there if we had to. We needed to get that street opened as a main priority but that didn’t happen until Tuesday night into Wednesday morning and frankly, I think a lot of the people on that street were frustrated. It seemed like every time we communicated with them [NSTAR] in terms of what we thought priorities were they seemingly didn’t …
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Acton Town Hall
472 Main St, Acton, MA
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Sunday, November 6, 2011
Editor's Pick: Here’s the top five Acton Patch stories [in no particular order] featured this week in a format easy to search.
1). VIDEO: Acton's Wilson Lane Looks Like a War Zone After Storm 2). *Robbins and Billings Streets Incident: VIDEO: Robbins & Billings Street Residents Trapped in Neighborhood VIDEO: Acton's Robbins & Billings Street Residents Still Trapped in Neighborhood VIDEO: Tree Debris and Wires Cleared from Robbins and Billings Streets VIDEO: Tree Falls onto Robbins Street Home, Family OK 3). VIDEO: Fed-Up Acton Resident Installs Home Generator 4). VIDEO: Acton Family Escapes Home Disaster during Weekend Storm 5). Mt. Rushmore in Acton [PHOTOS] BONUS: VIDEO: Something Smells Fishy in West Acton
Friday, November 4, 2011
Acton Patch wants to know if you're still without power. Also, here is a list of Acton Patch stories relating to the October snowstorm.
Are you still without power? Report your power outage with NSTAR here, or call them at: 800-592-2000. Acton Patch wants to know if you're still without power since the beginning of the storm? Share your storm stories with the Acton Patch community by uploading a comment to this article or by contacting Patrick.Clark@Patch.com. In chronological order, here is Acton Patch's October snowstorm coverage: SUNDAY: Close to 5,000 Without Power in Acton After Saturday's Snowstorm [PHOTOS] MONDAY: VIDEO: Acton's Wilson Lane Looks Like a War Zone After Storm VIDEO: Trees and Wires Down on Acton's Coolidge Drive VIDEO: Robbins & Billings Street Residents Trapped in Neighborhood TUESDAY: VIDEO: Acton Family Escapes Home Disaster during Weekend Storm …
This is a timely press release from the State Department of Public Utilities.
- GOVERNMENT
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Friday, November 4, 2011
BOSTON – Friday, November 4, 2011 – At the direction of Governor Deval Patrick, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary (EEA) Richard K. Sullivan Jr. today asked the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to investigate the preparation for and response to the October 29 snow storm by the state’s investor-owned utilities. The new investigation proposed by Secretary Sullivan would follow an ongoing DPU investigation of storm preparation and power restoration efforts by two utilities following Tropical Storm Irene. The review will compile information and data that will be used to achieve improvements in service during future storm events. In response to customer and municipal concerns, Secretary Sullivan called on the DPU to order an …
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Dean Charter, Acton's Municipal Properties Director and Tree Warden, talks with Acton Patch about his duties during the storm, NSTAR's performance and more.
Here is an interview with Municipal Properties Director and Tree Warden, Dean Charter, about the snowstorm that left many Acton residents without power and many Acton neighborhoods in shambles.
A tree fell on the roof of Jim DeMott's Acton home during Saturday's storm.
Jim DeMott and his wife and daughter were in their Acton home during Saturday's storm when part of a large oak tree snapped off and fell onto their roof. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and there was only minor damage to the home. However, the tree caused significant damage throughout the rest of the neighborhood, as another piece of the tree took down two telephone poles, causing power outages and blocking access to the dead-end street.
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Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Tuesday night, municipal workers chopped up the large oak tree blocking traffic on Robbins and Billings streets, clearing a safe passage way for cars. NSTAR crews are currently working to restore power to the neighborhood.
Acton Tree Warden Dean Charter, along with a team of municipal workers, took action Tuesday night to clear a passage way on Robbins Street where a large oak tree fell during the Saturday, Oct. 29 storm. The tree had blocked vehicle access for several residents of the dead-end Robbins and Billings streets, and emergency vehicles had no way to gain access to that part of the neighborhood. Many residents said they were confused why it took so long to clear access. According to Charter, the situation on Robbins and Billings streets would have been cleared up immediately if it was just a downed tree. "If it was strictly tree debris it would have been out of there a lot quicker," said Charter. "Where it's involving wires and a split open …
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Robbins St & Billings St, Acton, MA
/articles/video-tree-debris-and-wires-cleared-from-robbins-billings-street-four-days-later
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Debra Simes
10:53 am on Saturday, February 18, 2012
Perhaps as a separate bill, I'd like to see MA legislators make easier the path for municipalities to create their own Public Utility companies. more ›