The co-chair of the state”™s Energy & Technology Committee is calling for the head of Eversource to resign, as statewide power outages remain in the 90,000 range, nearly a week after Tropical Storm Isaias.
Demanding that Eversource Chairman, President and CEO James L. Judge resign, state Sen. Norm Needleman (D-Essex) said: “When Eversource requested hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years to make improvements to the state”™s electric grid, it”™s easy to ask where that money went, seeing the response to Tropical Storm Isaias.
“This is an epic failure on the part of Eversource, but it has been decades in the making,” Needleman continued, “with a dwindling on-the-ground workforce and a desire to create an almost-virtual company. Eversource has brought us to the point where we no longer have in-state resources to manage anything but the most minor event. This has been a deliberate attempt to reduce their on-the-ground workforce in favor of executive compensation and shareholder value.”
The utility”™s five highest-paid executives made about $40 million last year, with Judge pocketing $19.8 million ”“ a 33% increase over his 2018 salary.
“As a business owner myself,” Needleman said, “I know accountability starts at the top, and Eversource CEO James J. Judge needs to be held accountable for his company”™s completely unacceptable preparation for, and reaction to, this storm.”
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut has also called for Judge”™s resignation.
While Tony Marone, president and CEO of the state”™s other major electric utility United Illuminating, has released several statements updating his firm”™s efforts, Eversource”™s Judge has remained behind closed doors, instead dispatching several spokespeople to comment on the situation.
Asked for comment on the demands for Judge”™s resignation, Eversource spokesman Mitch Gross said: “We recognize the tremendous impact the storm and resulting outages have had on customers across the state. As with all storms, we will participate in an after-action review with regulators and community stakeholders to evaluate our approach to emergency response efforts and storm restoration.
“But today we”™re focused on one thing ”“ doing everything we can do to restore power to our customers,” Gross added.
Last week, the Public Utilities Regulatory Agency (PURA) agreed with Gov. Ned Lamont”™s call for an investigation into Eversource”™s performance; the utility has admitted that it severely underestimated the impact that Isaias would have.
Criticism of Boston-based Eversource has grown stronger over the past few days. On Friday, state Sen. Tony Hwang joined Lamont in Westport to survey the damage.
“I represent the countless residents who are beyond frustrated and growing more angry each passing minute, and the lack of communication and responsiveness with customers is a betrayal of public trust and adds insult to injury during this power outage,” Hwang said.
“I, like Governor Lamont, insist that all of our public utilities take immediate and urgent action to resolve these power outages,” he continued, “and I will be an integral part of PURA”™s investigation of our utility companies”™ rate structure and disaster preparedness.”
“Eversource should have been pre-positioned,” Lamont, who has been particularly outraged by the utility”™s performance, said at the same event. “We”™ll hold their feet to the fire later. We will have a tough post-mortem. But right now, the house is on fire, and we need the fire department. That”™s our first priority.”
Eversource”™s latest projections are that nearly all Connecticut customers will have their power restored no later than 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.
Our government officials primarily Lamont should
Be held accountable. Who oversees our taxpayers money for all the millions spent on upgrading our electrical grid? They shouldn’t be rejected. All they do
Is pass the problems caused to others when they are
Equally responsible. Don’t have my vote.
The blame starts at Eversource. We are in Southbury and still without power 6 full days after a tropical storm. Eversource is clearly dogging the work and dodging the criticism – waiting for us all to forget once the lights come back on. Punitive action seems warranted to me.
I believe it’s not just the CEO of the electric company s fault ‘ it’s NEVER ONE PERSON MAKING IMPORTANT DECISIONS I get it starts from the top ‘ but many people are involved in making those decisions starting with the GOVERNOR!!!
James Judge is also gifted in millions in eversource stocks.
In 2017 James Judge cashed in over 500 thousand dollars worth of gifted stocks,in 2019,James judge cashed in over 540 thousand dollars in gifted stocks.
Us citizens have to keep paying eversource’s exuberant cleverly labeled fees,fees,fees and more fees just to feed James Judge’s GREED that knows no bounds.
James Judge wants to charge us for eversource energy restoration.James Judge is SELF-SERVING GREEDY INEPT
and is an EMBARRASSMENT to the state of Connecticut.
James Judge,,I want your resignation,,and I want it right NOW!!
Governor Lamont,,pretending to be upset with James Judge,,Lamont is not going to do anything that’s in the best interest of the citizens, governor Lamont,1 and done.