Comments on: BELCO: 656 Customers Remain Without Power

By: JUNK YARD DOG

JUNK YARD DOG — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 21:54:34 +0000

Inhalation of smoke from burning “poison ivy” can kill.

By: JUNK YARD DOG

JUNK YARD DOG — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 21:51:51 +0000

Soon you will be seeing garden fires smoking you out, that smoke sticks on your roof and winds up in your house; roof cavity; your water tank.

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 19:47:18 +0000

Just for reference, I looked up the performance of US Utility companies in the aftermath of Hurricanes there. After TS Sandy 95% of homes in NY were restored to power after 13 days.
After Katrina, only 75% had power within 23 days. Ike knocked power out of 95% of Florida affected homes for 14 days. Hurricane Ivan hit Cayman, and parts of their country were down for three months.
I believe that roughly speaking <2.5% of affected customers in Bermuda still don't have power after 12 days. As tough as it is for those people the restoration period is not unduly long.
I think BELCO have done admirably in a tough situation.

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 19:33:32 +0000

Decent governments in Canada and the US fine homeowners who have not shoveled the snow in front of their house, or create laws that allow people injured on snow left on sidewalks to sue the negligent homeowners.
I agree with Micro, my neighborhood always loses power because the same guy doesn’t take care of the trees on his property. Belco spent hours chainsawing them down before they could even start the rewiring process.

By: Common Cents

Common Cents — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 13:57:38 +0000

Yes, but it doesn’t have to be as much as 30m. Even 5m would make a huge difference.

By: Sam Smith

Sam Smith — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 13:54:02 +0000

I have been without power through many storms or high winds due to trees on South Shore especially in the Horseshoe Bay area and guess what it is on public property so, lets everyone to do their job. I had trees come down in my yard and did not affect anyone but us. I have had power out since FAY….all debris is cleaned up and I am still waiting!!!

By: Sam Smith

Sam Smith — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 13:50:47 +0000

I am in agreement. Even with Hurricane Emily, Igor and Fabian we lost trees and no one blamed this reason on the delays for power and restoration. I have lost power through many storms because trees on South Shore and Horseshoe Bay area come down on lines and I live on the Middle Road side. I am connected via that route because Belco connected me there. I am still without power and it has been out since FAY.

By: No Power

No Power — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 13:41:16 +0000

Does it really matter whether it is public debris or homeowner debris? It is the government’s job to keep our roads safe even if that means cleaning up “residential” property. Just because a homeowner is too lazy to fix their mess on the road, does this mean the government should just leave it there? Seriously, what kind of attitude is this.

I’m glad you guys cleared your debris, it’s what decent people would do. But if there is still debris lying on the road from 2 weeks after a storm, a decent government would clean it up instead of leave the roads in an unsafe condition. I would be interested to see the sh**storm caused if somebody wipes out there.

By: Sam Smith

Sam Smith — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 13:35:48 +0000

Ridiculous! Many have been without power that is due to ineffective planning and managing on our power system. It is a disgrace and the workers are just doing their jobs while the management are charging ridiculous adjustment fees to get this kind of customer service. I know a few people still without power since FAY and there are NO TREES down all debris was removed from the beginning of each storm. I drive to work every morning down Harbour Road and have to zigzag past all the stones and debris still!!! BELCO needs to help all those still without power especially the FAY 1500 group.

By: No Power

No Power — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 13:32:57 +0000

Yes, BELCO has been working hard to get power restored, but their efforts are simply not good enough. I’ve been without power for almost 3 weeks now, which is unacceptable. Why are major traffic lights in town still down and we have stop sign intersections that drivers just ignore? Church street, one of the busiest roads in town has had broken lights for 2.5 weeks! They brought in extra help from other islands, but they clearly have priorities completely backwards. All that talk about restoring power to the people who never got power from Fay first was nonsense, the only people I know still without power lost it during Fay.

By: Sam Smith

Sam Smith — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 13:31:03 +0000

I agree with you, Mark that some individual would dislike that people are without power is awful and disturbing! Government needs to have an external audit conducted by an overseas company so, that no one can influence the outcome on BELCO. They have never been audited on their handling of many storms while we think it is normal to be out of power for 4, 5 and 6 weeks. Pathetic!

By: No Power

No Power — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 12:20:28 +0000

Sorry, but expecting residents to cut down every tree near a power line is the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard. Not to mention the fact that branches WILL get blown down hills during a hurricane and take out power lines. You just expect all of the trees within 30m of a line to be cut down because of this?

By: um just saying

um just saying — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 12:16:44 +0000

BELCO thank you for all that you are doing to get people back on. The naysayers dont have a clue about the magnitude of the destruction these storms caused, or the dangers you face with the downed poles and wires, countless hours of work, very little sleep, time away from your families, etc. Keep up the awesome job you are doing. Patience people, they will get to you.

By: school student

school student — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 10:21:39 +0000

Comments like this make me angry. Yes, it may be a government job as it’s on our roadways. However, if homeowners/residents decided to clean the road in front of their property and not have mentality “it’s not my job”, than the roads would be a lot safer. During times like this, many hands make light work.

Before anyone comments, I am a homeowner. As soon as we rose after the storms, we cleared the debris (large tree limbs, wooden planks, glass etc) off the main road in front of our property so the motoring public can safely travel…..after all, we benefit as well. This was done before we tackled our property which suffered minor damage.

By: Micro

Micro — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 06:05:22 +0000

What Government needs to do is enforce the laws on the books or fast track a new law that forces property owners to clean their crap or be stuck with a bill for the removal by government/fines. Much like is finally being done with all the boats littering the shoreline.

The majority of what’s in the roads or pulled down power lines is from private properties and there is absolutely no reason the taxpayer should be footing the bill for it.

By: Local Yokle

Local Yokle — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 04:24:23 +0000

‘Dislike’ or ‘like’, BELCO has by and large failed. Yes there have been outages due to infrastructure being damaged/destroyed by these storms and yes it takes time to fix major problems like that. But, when someone has been without power for 2 weeks and BELCO arrive and spend 10 or 15 minutes reconnecting one wire, it is unacceptable. I have nothing but praise for the workers but BELCO need to re-examine and change how they operate following major storms like we just saw. The frustration that people feel when they see neighbours lose, regain, lose and regain power again while they sit in the dark for 2 weeks straight without an answer is real. People have a right to be less than impressed at BELCO and not their neighbours trees especially when their neighbours trees had nothing to do with their power outage.

By: Frank

Frank — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 22:56:50 +0000

When is W&E going to remove the stone wall in the street on harbor rd just past Cobbs Hill?? Its on a corner and is so dangerous.Clean it up or push it in the persons yard that it fell from all ready.Very dangerous!!

By: RU Kidding

RU Kidding — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 21:59:19 +0000

This is a ridiculous comment.

This person needs to see how long it took to get power back from some after east coast storms… WEEKS!!!

So, NO – not other countries. Stop whining. Yes its frustrating – but don’t exaggerate.

By: Micro

Micro — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 21:37:13 +0000

Apple’s and oranges comparing Bermuda, with a customer base of some 35,000 homes, to a town of 35,000 homes in a country. Completely different landscape and electricity distribution system.

Let’s not forget that the primary reason power is lost is from people who refuse to keep their trees back from overhead lines. Frankly, BELCO should be charging them for damaging their property, and those are the people whom you all should be getting mad at. It’s not BELCO’s fault your or your neighbor’s trees fell over and took down lines.

By: mark

mark — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 21:25:47 +0000

How can people hit dislike to this comment. To be left without power for this long is madness!

By: Paget

Paget — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 19:50:32 +0000

Still with out power from Fay Ridiculous how the said they are making the 1500 a priority . I watch Belco trucks all day pass by. I have no trees in the lines. When they put on power from Fay the transformer blew which serviced only a few houses and they left with out checking. Gonna take 5 min to fix and I’m going on day 17 Pole b 105

By: frank

frank — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 13:38:23 +0000

when belco going to get to number 8 horseshoe road been out since fay

By: Betrutoyourword

Betrutoyourword — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 12:56:10 +0000

Ord road Warwick by banana lane too please. You said you would be back on Sunday we still waiting. The neighborhood and surrounding businesses would very greatly appreciate if you would come back. We have been waiting patiencly.

Signed surrounding residents and businesses

By: No Power

No Power — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 12:49:11 +0000

Still don’t have power from Fey, really glad to see they prioritized us for the restoration efforts.

By: Damien

Damien — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 12:48:23 +0000

I feel for the people still without power. I know that it was back to back storms, but this is getting ridicules. These people still without power should get some sort of credit, or voucher for groceries, somthing that shows some heart from Belco, especially the Fay 1,500. Come on Belco, other countires would have had the power back within a week, for a town of 35,000 homes. Get with it.