Ed Flynn via Caught in Southie:

I talked with Eversource executive about the power outages in City Point (and other areas in South Boston). Equipment is stressed and overheated due to extreme heat and length of this historic wave, with ACs cranked high to stay cool. The work crews continue to work to repair damage to the system and restore power as quickly as possible. I will continue to communicate with Eversource. Please check on our South Boston seniors and persons with disabilities. If anyone needs to reach me for assistance, please let me know.

Not only did power go out, but I learned during the event that both Verizon FiOS and T-Mobile 5G Internet generally do not work during a neighborhood power outage. There is no battery backup. Much credit to the support folks from Verizon and T-Mobile for being straightforward and willing to share this information.

The biggest bummer here is the lack of a public plan to address these sorts of issues. I would hope that Eversource has an inventory of its infrastructure along with its condition and capacity. If they’re being caught blindsided, then government needs to prod them into cataloging this. Benchmarks and milestones should be set to make sure we are prepared for the future.