Trains Now Moving, But Power Still Out In Parts Of Connecticut

RIDGEFIELD, CT (WCBS 880 / AP) - At the Branchville train station in Ridgefield, a sound was heard this morning that hadn't been heard since Saturday.

WCBS 880's Paul Murnane On The Story

Metro-North service is back on the Danbury line, as was power in some of the area, but the lights at the train station remained dark.

Connecticut Light & Power is projecting to have power restored by Saturday or as late as next Wednesday from Greenwich to the Danbury area.

"I think everybody is kind of settling for it's going to be a while," said Joe Beuthorn, in whose voice you hear more resignation than anger.

From Bridgeport to New Haven, the United Illuminating company is hoping to better communicate to customer service callers today the location of crews.

Lawmakers are expected to focus on the cost of restoring power, which can be recovered from customers under state law.

Union officials say 16-hour schedules hamper the restoration. CL&P says that's a safety rule, not an effort to hold down overtime.

Power outages in Connecticut have dropped to about 260,000 as hundreds of utility crews work to fix the damage from Tropical Storm Irene, which left 830,000 customers in the dark last weekend.

Connecticut Light & Power has just over 221,000 outages as of this morning and United Illuminating has 39,200 outages.

WCBS 880's Paul Murnane In Wilton

At Cannondale Generators in Wilton, nearly 400 of their gasoline-powered portables have been sold.

More than 200 were sold on Saturday alone.

He says they've probably sold more portable units in the last four days than they've sold in the last ten years.

"Every gas can that every place had has sold specifically for this," said Cannondale's Paul Bonomo, Jr. "The other issue is getting extension cords and the electrical connections. Those are all [sold] out as well."

Bonomo's phones are ringing for sales, service, and advice.

"Like driving to California and back and back again. It's like three cross-country trips. The generators start shutting down after this length of time," he said.

His supplier has even sent out workers to help him with service calls.

So, there's a kind of can-do attitude out there when it comes to things like changing generator oil.

Bonomo's business focuses on whole house units and he has dozens of sales leads... when he can get to them.

"You need to pull permits for all work, both the electrical on the generator, and the fuel source," he said. "A whole house generator that's automatic will range somewhere between $6,000 to $10,000 for the bulk of my customers."

Do you feel authorities and utilities in Connecticut have responded adequately to Irene?

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