Power Struggle

Dennis C.,

I used to live on that block, in the house right next to American Tree service.

Sorry to hear about all the damage, and I hope everybody is OK.

I can see PSE&G printing their own banner that read "Power should be restored by Friday at 6pm...."

I doubt the rants on Baristaville got PSE&G to do anything faster than it was going to do. That freak storm did some pretty wicked damage to the power infrastructure, and it just takes time and effort to put it back together. That this lone house on the block has been triaged to a low priority is the way it should be. Sucks for them, but PSE&G needs to fix the bigger problems first.

In a testament to just how much damage there was, I saw three trucks from Nelson's tree service from Dayton, Ohio when I went to the Dunkin Donuts on Broad St in Bloomfield this morning. They've gone pretty far afield to bring in reinforcements. (The day after the storm I saw cops from Hudson County directing traffic at intersections in Belleville, too).

As with the microburst of a few years ago, the damage from this storm was likely exacerbated by both the sheer number of mature trees through which our power lines weave, and the fact that many power lines in Montclair (as I understand) run through backyards, not along the street.

"...many power lines in Montclair (as I understand) run through backyards, not along the street."

Who was the brainiac who decided to do that?

Perhaps one of our resident historians can chime in on this one, but I suspect that the tradition of routing power lines behind houses in Montclair dates back to when electricity was first introduced to the area. Much like the aesthetic resistance to locating cell phone towers in residential neighborhoods of our time, I'm sure there was much opposition to planting ugly power poles along the streets back then, what with all those cross-crossing wires and what not. I'm sure that form of progress was perceived as quite disruptive to what must have been the bucolic serenity of the area back then.

Too bad the Barista does not seem to archive old posts anymore (and if she does, I sure can't find the link to it), because I think someone did in fact explain the reasons for the backyard power poles in the wake of the 2006 microburst.

Yes, most powerlines do go through backyards. Mine cut across my yard on a diagonal (thus hanging overhead in the play area). I actually called PSE&G to inquire if I could have them buried at my own expense. Their answer was a rather sharp "no". The reason? Buried lines are too hard to service. The irony? My power has been out since Tuesday. I guess the overhead wires aren't a piece of cake either.

Dear PSE&G, please buy me a house on Nantucket.

(worth a try)

I give up. Our power keeps going on and off, for hours at a time.
Went back on Thursday morning, then out again at 1 p.m. Woke up this morning to the sound of our carbon monoxide sensors letting us know that power was out again. Was on hold with PSE&G
for 45 minutes, the power back on again around 7 a.m. Thunderstorms forecast for tonight. Girding my loins for more blackouts.

I didn't get power back until 1:00pm friday....oh man...