Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) is siding with Newtown, Ridgefield, and New Fairfield on a recently filed legal brief requesting relief in anticipation of future storms that may involve significant power interruptions because of downed trees, wires, and other electrical infrastructure.

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal learned of the decision late Wednesday, September 23. The authority is directing both Eversource and United Illuminating to take immediate steps to address three major concerns articulated by the three towns, which partnered on the legal action.

Suffice to say, Rosenthal was happy with not only the outcome of PURA’s consideration of the complaints, but also its expediency, as Connecticut could still experience more devastating weather during this and future hurricane seasons and winters.

“While the PURA investigation of Eversource’s response to Tropical Storm Isaias is just getting underway, I am pleased they are already taking the collective experiences of our residents seriously,” Rosenthal told The Newtown Bee. “Frankly, I didn’t expect an early win on our motion for emergency relief but I am relieved it is in place in the event we have another storm before the investigation is complete.”

In a memo accompanying the docket information from PURA, David A. Ball, who represented Newtown and its neighboring communities at Cohen and Wolf, PC, said “I think you should feel very good about this result.

“I don’t think we could have expected a better response from PURA. If the electric distribution company [EDC] fails to follow these any of these orders in the future, I am confident that PURA will issue sanctions immediately,” Ball further stated.

The three community leader counterparts on the brief leaned on residents who were negatively impacted by what Rosenthal had consistently described as an abysmal response from Eversource, asking those directly affected to take the time to file their experiences in writing.

The first selectman appeared to be correct in his suspicion that hearing directly from those who lost thousands of dollars in spoiled food and medications, and who went without electricity for more than a week after Isaias, helped fortify a legal brief that called on PURA to demand Eversource make changes to a response protocol that he said failed on three fronts.

“My thanks to our residents who have taken the time to share with PURA, as it is clear they are listening,” Rosenthal said.

Earlier Wednesday, PURA issued the ruling in response to the Motion for Immediate and Emergency Relief filed by the three towns. To summarize the ruling:

*PURA directed both Eversource and UI to deploy Make-Safe crews in accordance with the Annex protocol that were identified in the motion.

“While PURA did not deviate from the existing protocol by ordering Make-Safe crews to be deployed prior to the next weather event, I read this order as PURA having zero tolerance for any future violation of the Make-Safe crew protocol,” Ball said.

*PURA directed the EDCs to implement their outage reporting systems as intended in their Emergency Response Plans.

*PURA directed the EDCs to implement their community liaison programs in accordance with their Emergency Response Plans.

In addition, Ball said, PURA directed the EDCs to have their designated town liaison communicate with every town emergency response manager prior to any storm. And as the communities requested, PURA directed the EDCs to hold a meeting with each town, the EDC liaison, and at least one member of its operations personnel.

“This meeting is ordered to take place no later than October 16,” Ball said.

In the ruling, PURA has also encouraged all municipalities to submit evidence in the docket of the violations of the EDC of performance standards and enterprise resource plans (ERPs) relating to Isaias.

Finally, Ball said, PURA has requested that municipalities file petitions for relief with PURA if the EDCs fail to meet their performance standards or ERPs following any future storms.