Company Promises Additional Streetlight Inspections
April 15, 2004
NSTAR
today announced that a sweeping inspection of manholes
and other equipment in the City of Boston has confirmed
the sound state of its electric system, and the company
pledged to implement ongoing inspections to ensure the
future safety of the public.
In a report filed today with the Department of
Telecommunications and Energy, NSTAR reported it found
no systematic problem with the underground electric
system. However,
the company did identify a limited number of safety
concerns related to city streetlights.
In its filing NSTAR laid out an aggressive Safety
Plan to address these issues as part of its ongoing
commitment to put safety first.
"The
citizens of Boston should have peace of mind, knowing
that we have conducted an unprecedented inspection to
assure our electric system is in good working
order," said Thomas J. May, Chairman, President and
CEO of NSTAR, who last month directed that all manholes
on the NSTAR electric system be checked for signs of
stray voltage or other trouble.
"NSTAR stepped up and took action to
reassure our customers that their safety is always our
highest priority."
Over
the last six weeks NSTAR employees used specially
purchased voltage detectors to inspect more than 18,000
NSTAR-owned manholes in Boston.
Additionally, inspectors tested tens of thousands
of lampposts, mailboxes, fire hydrants, traffic lights,
and other structures owned by the City and private
businesses and citizens located near its manholes.
The company is now in the process of inspecting
all 35,000 manholes in the 81 eastern Massachusetts
communities within its electric service area.
In
the filing with the DTE, which regulates the electric
industry, NSTAR detailed its Safety Plan, including the
following initiatives:
The
thorough inspection of equipment in its service
territory:
- NSTAR
has inspected more than 18,000 NSTAR manholes and an
estimated 70,000 other structures near NSTAR
manholes in Boston.
- Within
Boston, NSTAR found and corrected 7 safety issues
involving or possibly involving NSTAR equipment and
17 issues on equipment owned by the City or others.
Ongoing
strategy to inspect streetlights and other equipment:
- NSTAR
has added a voltage test to its standard manhole
entry procedure, so workers will be testing manholes
for stray voltage on a continuous basis.
- NSTAR
will annually inspect all active company-owned
streetlights.
- NSTAR
will additionally inspect all retired streetlight
locations not targeted in initial inspection.
An
improved response to reports of possible stray voltage:
- NSTAR
operators have new instructions to help quickly
classify and route reports of stray voltage.
- Reports
of possible stray voltage now receive the same
priority as police or fire calls.
- NSTAR
will dispatch a supervisor to wherever stray voltage
is confirmed.
Taking
the lead to prevent stray voltage in the future:
- NSTAR
has championed safe digging through an advertising
and mail campaign targeting 11,000 construction
firms in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island,
Vermont and New York.
- NSTAR
is working with state lawmakers to improve
compliance with existing Dig Safe laws.
- NSTAR
is taking steps to hold accountable those who
jeopardize public safety by failing to report damage
to the electric system.
- NSTAR
is assisting the City of Boston and other cities in
making safe their electric equipment.
"NSTAR
has stepped up and taken the lead on this important
public safety issue, but there is more work to be
done," said May.
"Going forward, NSTAR will take additional
steps to ensure the safety of our system, and we're
calling on others to make this a priority too.
The public can be confident there is a careful
eye watching out for the safety of the electric system
in Boston."
NSTAR
transmits and delivers electricity to more than one
million customers in the City of Boston, and 80 other
communities in Eastern and Central Massachusetts.
NSTAR also delivers natural gas to more than
300,000 homes in 51 communities.
For more information about NSTAR visit
www.nstar.com.
