Connecticut Senate Democrats are proposing legislation that would require utilities to maintain a minimum number of line crews.
State Senator Norm Needleman of Essex, co-chair of the Energy and Technology Committee, said waiting days for out-of-state crews to help restore power after a storm is unacceptable.
“They are finally getting around to hiring people after years of being screamed at, and I applaud that. But they need to make every effort to have actual people in each region that are capable of responding in the aftermath of storms.”
Mitch Gross, a spokesman for Eversource, the state’s largest utility, said his company believes its staffing level is adequate.
“And when needed during storms we go out and secure additional resources in advance through a mutual aid agreement with other utilities. In the meantime, we look forward to meeting with Senator Needleman and others to address any concerns they may have.”
The Democrats’ bill would also establish minimum staffing levels for related employee positions.
