Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

CL&P chief resigns amid storm of criticism

  • by Keith M. Phaneuf
  • November 17, 2011
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

Connecticut Light & Power Co. President and Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey D. Butler resigned Thursday afternoon as the state’s largest utility battles waves of criticism over its handling of nearly 1.6 million power outages from two recent storms.

Butler had defended CL&P’s response both to an Oct. 29 nor’easter and to Tropical Storm Irene in late August, saying the company had done all it could when faced with unprecedented storm damage. The October storm dumped heavy snow on a full canopy of leaves, splintering trees and much of the power grid.

But the utility executive also had conceded in the days following the early snow that CL&P had struggled to secure private line and tree repair crews from out of state as quickly as it had hoped.

Butler

Jeffrey D. Butler

“We reluctantly accepted Jeff’s resignation,” said Charles W. Shivery, president and CEO of Northeast Utilities, CL&P’s parent company. “His commitment and dedication on behalf of our company, employees and customers have been exceptional.  We thank him for his important contribution to NU, CL&P and the community.  We wish him all the best.”

It took CL&P nearly 13 days to restore power to all of the 831,000 customers — 70 percent of its entire 1.2 million customer base — following the October storm. And it took nine days before power had been restored to all of the 671,000 residences and businesses that lost power on Aug. 27 and 28.

The utility — and Butler in particular — came under heavy fire from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy after Nov. 6, when CL&P failed to meet its self-imposed deadline for resolving the 830,000 outages caused when more than one foot of snow fell on much of northern and central Connecticut on Oct. 29.

Malloy is visiting U.S. troops in Afghanistan, but his senior adviser, Roy Occhiogrosso, indicated the administration was not surprised by the move.

“Governor Malloy made clear that he thought Northeast Utilities needed to address CL&P’s management issues, and it’s clear that process has begun,” Occhiogrosso said. “It’s also likely that there will be other changes on other fronts as a result of CL&P’s performance in the lead-up to and aftermath of the storm.”

The utility will begin a national search immediately for Butler’s replacement, while James A. Muntz, NU’s president for transmission services will fill Butler’s post in an acting capacity, Shivery said.

CL&P also has commissioned an independent analysis of its storm responses. The  utility retained Davies Consulting, Inc., an internationally recognized consulting firm, to perform the review and submit preliminary findings by the first week in January.

Butler had been the face of CL&P in the weeks following both Irene and the Oct. 29 storm, regularly appearing at daily televised press briefings with Malloy at the state armory. Butler, an engineer by training, came to CL&P in 2009 after 27 years  at the Pacific Gas and Electric company in San Francisco.

Butler’s standing with Malloy plunged on Sunday, Nov. 6 when the company failed to meet its self-imposed deadline for restoring nearly all of the 830,000 outages caused by the nor’easter. More than 61,000 residences and businesses, particularly in the Farmington Valley and in Tolland County, remained without power early in the morning on Monday, Nov. 7.

Butler

The glare was harsh for Butler after the snowstorm.

Malloy, who had stopped appearing alongside Butler during the briefings two days earlier, directed Witt Associates, a Washington, D.C.-based risk management firm led by former Federal Emergency Management Agency director James Witt, to conduct an independent inquiry into the storm response.

Malloy, who also had created a state panel to review the matter and endorsed an investigation launched by Attorney General George C. Jepsen, predicted that wrongdoing within CL&P would be uncovered before all analyses were completed.

“I presume we’re going to find some level of malfeasance,” Malloy said one day after the Nov. 6 deadline. “Those responsible will be held accountable … and we will hold them to a very high standard.” He wouldn’t rule out legal action that could lead to financial penalties against CL&P.

“They failed by their own standard. I suspect they failed by the industry standard as well,” Malloy said at that time. “I think they have a gigantic credibility problem.

The governor specifically targeted Butler for criticism and hinted that he should be removed.

“His company’s handling of this entire situation has been unacceptable,” Malloy added. “I think it is time to change the way this company is being managed.”

When asked 10 days ago whether he believed Butler should continue as CL&P’s top executive, Malloy had added that “I think that’s a good question to ask” of Northeast Utilities, which is CL&P’s parent company.

Butler also absorbed a hail of criticism from legislators after both storms.

House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan, D Meriden and Rep. Vickie O. Nardello , D-Prospect, pledged earlier this month to propose new legislation next year that would allow state government to set power outage restoration standards and issue millions of dollars in fines if utilities don’t get the job done well and on time.

Nardello, who co-chairs the legislature’s Energy and Technology Committee, raised questions following Irene about whether utilities’ were devoting sufficient resources to tree-trimming — one of the primary preventative measures used to mitigate potential damage to power lines.

“CL&P was unprepared for this storm and failed to adequately respond to the needs of Connecticut’s residents and businesses,” Donovan said Thursday. “The issue is not one individual, but the company’s ability to respond in an emergency. We need a better and more appropriate response in the future and we look forward to working with CL&P’s new leadership to achieve that.”

Legislators and other state officials were not surprised by Butler’s exit.

“If you’re in charge of the operation and it failed as badly as it did then it’s hard to believe you can stick around for long,” said House Majority Leader J.Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, adding that Butler’s attitude during the press briefings didn’t help. “He came across as snarky, arrogant and dismissive.”

With the exit of Butler, Sharkey said much works remain for his confidence to be reinstated in the state’s largest utility company. “I would like to think if CL&P has any competence, they are going to take the lessons learned and make some changes,” he said.

Legislators said it was clear that a change was coming.

“It was certainly forseeable,” said Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney, D-New Haven.

“It was up to CL&P, but it was clear there needed to be major change,” Nardello said Thursday. “I’m hoping there’s going to be a total re-evaluation.”

Nardello said the legislature will be looking to set benchmarks for CL&P and other utilities to measure their performance after future blackouts.

Senate President Pro Tempore Donald E. Williams, D-Brooklyn, said, “It was clear CL&P wanted to turn the page.”

“The management changes at Connecticut Light & Power Co. announced today by its parent company, Northeast Utilities, are a significant first step toward addressing the problems with emergency preparedness, communications and customer service that were evidenced,” Jepsen said. “I am pleased that the company has acted quickly with a reorganization of senior management and the hiring of a consulting firm to evaluate CL&P’s preparedness and response to these storms.

Butler undoubtedly hopes the public is ready to turn the page, as well.

One result of his recent higher profile: According to WFSB TV-3 in Hartford, a security guard recently has been been stationed outside his 8,000-square-foot home in Avon, one of the Farmington Valley communities especially hard hit by the Oct. 29 storm.

Staff Writer Jacqueline Rabe Thomas contributed to this article.

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Keith M. Phaneuf

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
Police task force seeks wider applicant pool for watchdog role
by Kelan Lyons

The task force sent four recommendations — and two that didn't get unanimous approval— to lawmakers for the 2021 session.

Miguel Cardona, who are you?
by Ann Policelli Cronin

When I ask Connecticut teachers about Miguel Cardona, those who know him or have worked with him say that he is really nice guy who knows what the challenges in our classrooms are, knows how to help teachers to improve their teaching, and respects public schools. All good. But what is his vision for teaching and learning that he will bring to the U.S. Department of Education?

Connecticut needs a strong two-party system, this Democrat says
by Edward Marcus

J.R. Romano’s recent resignation as the state’s Republican Party chair has brought into focus the need for a viable opposition party in Connecticut. It is not healthy politics when everything is totally controlled by one party:  the legislature, the governorship, and most of the major municipalities in our state.

Vaccinations in nursing homes top 64,000; COVID cases are dropping rapidly among residents
by Dave Altimari

There were 238 COVID infections reported in nursing homes last week, down from 483 a few weeks ago.

Advocates call on state to improve response to vulnerable students
by Adria Watson

State child advocate Sarah Eagan and attorney Martha Stone want the state to do more for these students during COVID.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion Miguel Cardona, who are you?
by Ann Policelli Cronin

When I ask Connecticut teachers about Miguel Cardona, those who know him or have worked with him say that he is really nice guy who knows what the challenges in our classrooms are, knows how to help teachers to improve their teaching, and respects public schools. All good. But what is his vision for teaching and learning that he will bring to the U.S. Department of Education?

Opinion Connecticut needs a strong two-party system, this Democrat says
by Edward Marcus

J.R. Romano’s recent resignation as the state’s Republican Party chair has brought into focus the need for a viable opposition party in Connecticut. It is not healthy politics when everything is totally controlled by one party:  the legislature, the governorship, and most of the major municipalities in our state.

Opinion Connecticut’s $100 million college shell game
by Stephen Adair

The plan to consolidate the 12 community colleges in Connecticut into one college with 12 campuses is called “Students First,” which is ironic because it does not fund students first.  It funds a new administration in a new, statewide bureaucracy. The Board of Regents (BOR) and the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system office […]

Opinion Inconsistent television captioning is a barrier to equal access
by Jeffrey Bravin and Barbara Cassin

Our world long ago entered the age of the 24-hour news cycle, and a full understanding of the “who, what, when, where and why” of the news is critical for deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing citizens. Yet, Connecticut’s inconsistent quality of television captioning locks our community out of the complete sense of what is happening.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO