National Grid Meets With Local Officials Over Power Outages

Steps Taken by National Grid • Retained a consultant to analyze lightning protection • Investigating the quality and stability of all breakers • Evaluating the infrastructure at the Adams facility, most specifically as it relates to downtime • Replaced a large transformer • Control center upgrades are being put in place that are designed to reduce downtime • Looking at ways to improve communication at the inception of, and throughout, an interruption

Above, a transformer at the Adams substation at the power outage on July 8. Several power interruptions have occurred over the last few months, raising concerns from public officials. Some 18,000 people were out of power during two of the events and schools were closed because of a transformer fire in May.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Mayor Richard Alcombright said he was reassured about the area's electrical service after a meeting this week with National Grid officials.

"They understand that we weren't happy," he said Wednesday. "I think the overall tenor is she reassured us they were aware of our concerns."

The meeting with Marcy Reed, president of National Grid in Massachusetts, came after several power outages that affected large parts of North County.

The transformer fire at the Adams substation in May was followed by incidents two days in a row July.

Alcombright said Williamstown Town Manager Peter Fohlin, Adams Town Administrator Jonathan Butler, Florida Town Administrator Christine Dobbert, public safety officials and representatives from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts met with Reed and her senior staff.

Equipment Failure Knocks Out Power to North County NORTH ADAMS - 07-09-2014 - The power came back a lot quicker on Wednesday. Navarro said a separate equipment failure required switching over to a...

	Transformer Fire Knocks Out Power Again in North... NORTH COUNTY - 07-08-2014 - Power was lost around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday and then came on again around 1:30 only to go back out a few minutes later.
	Power Outage Disrupts North Berkshire, Closes Schools ADAMS - 05-09-2014 - A National Grid transformer station caught fire behind the Holland Co. in Adams.

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.