Days after what’s been dubbed the Thanksgiving Nor’easter, much of New Hampshire was left without electrical power. It wasn’t just people out in the sticks either, where homes are scattered and require long lines for connections. No, major sections of the largest cities were also affected.
It’s not that this is an isolated incident, either. Officially, this was the fourth worst outage ever — following December 2008, February 2010, and October 2011.
The electrical grid has become undependable, and that should have the utilities worried. Customers are given more incentive for seeking not just backup relief, mainly generators, but energy independence by means of solar and wind sources.
While many of the big-bucks folks have been insisting that global warming — or more accurately, climatic instability and upheaval — is a fabrication, these kinds of disasters fit right into the predictions they’re denying. And these kinds of events will just keep coming. Or should I say snowballing? The four worst within eight years? Think about it.
The other argument that comes to mind has to do with line maintenance. Again, the four worst in eight years. The utilities can plead all they want for rate hikes, but they’ll be facing increased hostility. Folks will ask, “Just what are we getting for our money?”
It’s safe to say that for somebody here, things are going to get worse before they get better. Or before the public, at least, turns the corner.
Jnana's Red Barn 
I assume your questions about where the money goes from the utilities’ rate hikes is rhetorical?
Thought it was obvious as long as untrimmed branches keep taking out wires as they fall.
I have been without a land line phone for almost two months. Un-FairPoint can’t give me a reason, an answer as to when it will be repaired or any relief. I have no other choice of provider and only keep the land line because my cell service is non-existent on this side of the mountain.
It is time to wake up people and stop allowing the big corporations to muddle along with huge profits and no decent level of service!!
And, I assume, they’re still billing you.
Have tried to contact customer service/billing. So far no good but I am not paying…
That doesn’t sound good, i hope you have power.
We do, this time.