Massachusetts Attorney General Seeks Fines Against National Grid

The Massachusetts Attorney General is proposing what would be a record fine against National Grid for the power company’s response to last year’s severe storms.   WAMC”s Paul Tuthill reports.

   In proposing a $16 million dollar fine against National Grid for the company’s response to the lengthy power outages caused by Hurricane Irene and the late October snowstorm, attorney General Martha Coakley said the penalty should send a message..that the public deserves better.

   Coakley is urging state utility regulators to impose the fine on National Grid for violations that include unacceptably low staffing levels and a lack of communication with its customers and local emergency officials. Coakley’s office , earlier, recommended a $4 million fine against Western  Massachusetts Electric Company for its response to the October snow storm. A recommendation of a fine is pending against the state’s third biggest public utility, NStar.   Coakley said by law the companies can not pass the fines onto rate payers.