Dive Brief:
- National Grid, NStar, and Western Massachusetts Electrical Co. have appealed nearly $25 million in state fines. The Supreme Judicial Court took their appeal under advisement.
- The record-setting penalties were dealt by state regulators for inadequate storm preparation and response to Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011 and a freak snowstorm in October 2011.
- This is the first time Massachusetts regulators have imposed a monetary fine on utility companies for inadequate storm preparation and response.
- In separate filings, the companies accused regulators at the state’s Department of Public Utilities of failing to provide sufficient evidence to merit the fines.
Dive Insight:
The state argued that the companies failed to abide by standards set by the Department of Public Utilities. The National Grid was accused of taking an average 22 hours to respond to downed power lines, and failing to provide customers and officials with updates on when power would be restored. However, the department’s standards do not include a time limit for service restoration, calling the state’s argument into question.