Contributed Photo
Eversource crews off New Haven Avenue in Derby Tuesday.
DERBY — UPDATE 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4: From Eversource spokesman Mitch Gross:
“We made excellent progress last night on repairs to the system and plan on starting the relighting process for some customers at around 8 a.m. this morning. We will begin sending technicians back to the affected homes and businesses to turn their natural gas service back on. For the safety of our customers, employees have been screened for COVID-19 and will be wearing masks and gloves. We are asking that someone 18 years or older be present at each location, so we can relight each gas appliance and conduct a safety check. Our goal remains to restore gas service to the majority of the affected customers by 11:59 p.m. tonight.”
The Eversource phone number is 877 – 944-5325.
Original post from Tuesday evening follows:
An army of Eversource workers and associated contractors will be going from house to house in east Derby and parts of Ansonia this evening shutting off gas meters in an attempt to figure out why more than 2,000 customers lost gas pressure Tuesday.
The utility company said there was no imminent threat to customers. No evacuation orders have been issued.
The work will take hours. There was no estimated time of completion as of 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The gas issue forced Ansonia Public Schools to cancel classes Wednesday.
The district sent out the following message:
Dr. Joseph DiBacco, Superintendent of Schools, said he was notified late this afternoon that the gas supply to Ansonia and Derby’s Hilltop area had been turned off by Eversource.
Therefore, the heat and hot water systems at three of Ansonia’s schools are offline.
“Our schools don’t have heat or hot water, and we would not be able to prepare meals,” he said.
All classes are cancelled for Wednesday, Dr. DiBacco said. Once he receives an update on the gas supply situation, he will provide further information.
At about 7:30 p.m., Ansonia police posted a message on Facebook from Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti. It is printed below in full. The article continues after the statement.
_“Good Evening.
This is Mayor Dave Cassetti giving an update on the gas outage in Derby and Ansonia.
This outage is largely affecting residents in the Hilltop area due to low pressure in the gas line. Eversource has informed me that they are working through the night going door to door to turn off gas meters.
In some cases our Ansonia PD will accompany them if they are unable to gain access to the meter inside your home. They are asking that residents in the affected area have someone home until 10pm this evening.
They will be working on four separate quadrants in the Hilltop area as they shut down the gas.
Please try to remain home until 10pm when this process should be completed. Please standby for additional information from Eversource on alternate lodging if you cannot remain at home. Eversource will notify you again as they begin to turn the gas back on in your home.
Please stay tuned for additional information from me and Eversource. Stay safe and please don’t hesitate to contact me at city hall at 203 – 736-5900 ext. 1 with any questions. I will do my best to answer questions as I receive updated information from Eversource.”_
Crews Mobilize
Roughly 100 (COVID-19 tested) workers mobilized Tuesday afternoon in the Lowe’s parking lot off New Haven Avenue.
“They will be working to narrow down the source of the problem,” Eversource spokesman Frank Poirot. “The problem is low gas pressure. We don’t think it’s a leak at this time, but we’re still investigating. The next step of our restoration is to start turning off meters, isolate the problem, and then turn customers back on, lighting their pilot lights and things like that.”
“It’s more of a linear effort. You work yourself down the line until you get to the source of the problem. Or, if the problem is in a piece of equipment, we correct it and then get everybody back online in an orderly fashion,” he said.
The Derby Fire Department was called to a gas leak on New Haven Avenue at 9:37 a.m. Residents on social media began complaining of not having heat and not being able to use gas-fired appliances.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mitch Gross, an Eversource spokesman, called the loss of gas pressure unusual. He said it wasn’t clear if there was an equipment malfunction in the system or a blockage of some kind.
Eversource estimated between 2,200 and 2,400 customers are experiencing low-gas pressure, including the hilltop neighborhoods in Ansonia and Derby, and the New Haven Avenue commercial corridor in Derby.
In addition to Eversource crews and associated contractors, Derby firefighters are police were on scene, along with fire and police brass from Ansonia. House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R‑Derby, was also on scene.
“Portions of the gas system in Derby may have to be shut down to address an issue within the system,” Mayor Rich Dziekan’s office said in a statement. “The Derby Fire Department and Police Department are working directly with Eversource to make sure the issue is addressed as quickly as possible. If you are an Eversource gas customer, you may be contacted for them to gain access to your meter.”
Here is the phone number to call if you’re experiencing an issue with your natural gas supply: 877 – 944-5325
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