Save FitchburgTaking Back Our Community

According to the Sentinel and Enterprise, Unitil along with the City of Fitchburg are experimenting with installing LED lights instead of the more standard high-pressure sodium light bulbs.

6 new LED lights were installed along Water Street by Unitil on Tuesday.  The test is to see whether or not they 1.) last longer then conventional lights 2.) are more energy efficient.

The test will last throughout the winter and attempt to answer whether or not they are efficient enough to justify their cost.  Current an LED cost $650 more than a standard one.

Unitil paid for the installation of the 6 LED lights.

According to the Telegram and Gazette, Unitil is testing out its new emergency communications and response systems in preparation of the winter months (or any other natural disaster).

The new system is in response to the disaster left behind by last years Ice Storm that crippled the northern central Massachusetts area, and proved that Unitil’s preparation and emergency response system at the time were both ineffective and ill-equipped to deal with the situation.

From those that have viewed the process, it appears as though Unitil has addressed many of the issues that left some Unitil customers without power for nearly a month last year, including changes in communication and response time.

Now if Unitil continues to lower its rates they might save some face in this area.

Here is an interesting article that was posted recently in the Sentinel and Enterprise, stating that the town of Lunenburg “might be able to take over its utility infrastructure from Unitil through a process similar to eminent domain.”

The process of how this can be done is explained here:
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/ci_13143168

I encourage everyone to read the article I’ve just linked to and respond here with ideas and comments as this seems like a viable way to remove Unitil from Fitchburg as well.

Could this be a loophole to remove Unitil from Central Mass? or do you think Unitil is to big of a money powerhouse to fight in land court?

Please read the article.  You might find it of great interest especially as we grow closer to the one year anniversary of the Ice Storm of 2008.

According to Unitil officials, Unitil will lower both its electric and gas rates this year, in some cases up to 60 percent.  This is the 3rd time Unitil has offered rate changes since the ice storm last December.

We’ve been trying to keep up with all of the Unitil stories that have popped in the news in the past few months and have them listed in our Unitil category here on our page.

For more information about the rate decrease, please check out the article in the Sentinel

In an effort to make sure the debacle that ensued after the 2008 ice storm by Unitil, the state senate today passed the “Unitil Bill”.

Under the new bill, utility companies will be held responsible for violating their own emergency plans, as well as failing to provide proper service to its customers.  Utility companies in violation can be fined upwards to $25,000 per day.

The bill also removes the $1 million cap on fines against utility companies.

For more information check out the following article:
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_12944623

After a demand earlier this month by Attorney General Martha Coakley for Unitil to refund customers for overpricing for gas, Unitil has asked the Department of Public Utilites to allow them to drop their current gas prices by August 1st.

According to the Worcester Telegram, the average customer would save roughly $5 a month.

This would be the third price of the year for Unitil, and the second time that gas prices will be lowered.  The proposal is still under review by the DPU.

From the Worcester Telegram:

“Attorney General Martha Coakley has asked the state Department of Public Utilities to order Unitil to refund more than $860,000 to customers of the company’s gas division for its use of what her office described as a costly gas-procurement program that was not authorized by the department.”

To read the rest of this article please click on the link:
http://www.telegram.com/article/20090717/NEWS/907170342

Just more proof that Unitil needs to GO!!!!!!!!!!!!

As of June 5th, 2009 Attorney General Martha Coakley is seeking a fine of up to 4.6 million dollars for their lack of response and preparation for the 2008 December ice storms.

In an article in the Boston Herald, Coakley said, “Unitil’s lack of preparation for the storm and ineptitude during the restoration efforts caused great hardship, suffering and financial loss.”

The question is, if Unitil ends up paying this fine, where does the money go? Fitchburg? Lunenburg? Townsend? The residents?