DANBURY, Conn. — Consistent with what they’ve been saying for the last several days, Eversource announced Tuesday afternoon that they expect to reach their goal of 99% of their customers being restored before midnight tonight.
As of 5 PM, roughly 20,000 Eversource customers remained without power, with most concentrated in the greater Danbury area.
"When you look at this storm and you compare it to Irene, Super Storm Sandy, the damage locations were larger (with Isaias), the customer impact was larger," said Craig Hallstrom, President of Regional Electric Operations for Eversource.
Both Irene and Sandy featured just over 16,000 damage locations throughout Connecticut, but Isaias presented more than 20,000 damage locations.
"But, we will complete this storm in up to 30% shorter time frame," Hallstrom said. "Now that doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by planning and it happens by our people responding and getting out in the field and getting their job done."
Near the intersection of Victor and Hobson Streets, in Danbury, late morning brought a convoy of trucks from Tallahassee, FL to a neighborhood that had lost hope.
"It was so amazing to see them to come because I saw so many times they (other trucks) came and looked and gone," said resident Norma de Jesus, with a huge smile.
But, a couple of blocks away, former Danbury City Councilman, Andrew Wetmore, with three toddlers, tweeted at Eversource, instructing them to “send the damn trucks already.”
He said his home was 88 degrees at last check inside.
"We try to take the kids out in the car to cool them down," Wetmore said.
He did tell FOX61 shortly after his story aired in the News at 4 pm, trucks showed up in his neighborhood and power was restored within an hour.
"They should have this down by now," he said, meaning how Eversource responds to storm. "If the CEO can make $19 million and the executives there can make $40 million, then they should be able to get people here on contract on retainer, but they’ve abandoned us."
Many community leaders have been critical of the Eversource response. Several, including Mayor Mark Boughton (R-Danbury), and leaders of surrounding communities, are actually considering taking legal action against Eversource.
"There's gonna be plenty of action, after action reviews and meetings with regulators and community stakeholders and we will address all those at that time," said Hallstrom.
It’s important to note, when referring to the number of customers without power, that doesn't mean the total number of people without power.