CL&P Replacing Cables in Gales Ferry

The faulty utility cable responsible for two power outages in as many days this week in Gales Ferry has been identified and is being replaced today, a Connecticut Light & Power spokesman said Wednesday.

Two additional sections of cable along Whalehead Road also are being replaced today as a "precautionary measure," said CL&P spokesman Mitch Gross. "The goal is to have it all finished today," he said. "We will work into the evening if necessary."

Gross said power to Gales Ferry should not be interrupted during the cable replacement procedure. "Right now power is being delivered by an alternate circuit," he said. "The goal is to replace the cables today, then switch back."

The work is taking place in the midst of a heat wave that has moved eastward into the region. High demand was identified as a factor in the recent outages.

Power was lost to 1,930 Gales Ferry customers on Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and again on Monday, from 8 p.m. to around midnight. The outages were the latest of several reported in Gales Ferry since late spring.

The outages, which have centered on the west end of Whalehead Road, have also affected businesses in Gales Ferry, Ledyard's primary commercial district.

"It's unacceptable, no matter whether the customers are residential or commercial," Gross said. "We're very much aware of the situation, that it had to be taken care of, and we're taking care of it."