Dive Summary:
- At a State House press conference, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick warned utilities that an inadequate response to Hurricane Sandy will result in financial penalties.
- Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr. reminded utilities state law had changed and that utilities could face sanctions for failure to properly respond to storms they knew could damage their service areas.
- This summer, Attorney General Martha Coakley suggested the Department of Public Utilities should fine National Grid $16 million and NStar $9.7 million for their responses to Hurricane Irene in August 2011 and a snowstorm in October 2011.
From the article:
"Governor Deval Patrick and top state officials today said they have made it clear to the leaders of the state’s utility companies that they must be ready to deal with Hurricane Sandy -- or face financial consequences once the storm fades into memory.
Speaking to reporters at a State House press conference, Patrick and Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr. said the poor response to prior storms by some utilities should be a thing of the past. ..."