New England’s notoriously harsh weather once again revealed itself with a vengeance this past weekend, bringing extremely frigid temperatures to Connecticut and pummeling the state with nearly two feet of snow.
Despite this severe weather, both the electric and natural gas systems performed reliably, with only about 3,600 electric customers losing power statewide (the majority caused by motor vehicle accidents) and no significant disruptions for gas customers – helping to ensure our customers had access to critical energy services when they needed them most.
That outcome wasn’t a coincidence, and it wasn’t just the weather. It reflects years of focused work to strengthen energy infrastructure and prepare for severe storms across New England. That reliability meant families across Connecticut were able to go about their daily lives – reading with their kids, cooking meals in their kitchens and staying warm inside – even as severe weather raged outside.
That work is increasingly important given the reality of operating energy delivery companies in a time of heightened climate risk, when extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more intense. Preparing for severe winter storms and deep freezes is now a baseline expectation for utilities across New England – and one this storm shows we plan for intentionally and effectively, with an ever-present focus on affordability.
PHOTOS: Storm blankets CT in snow, arctic cold
That preparation – along with some favorable weather conditions – showed up during this storm, as the vast majority of Eversource customers enjoyed the comfort of warm, powered homes while watching an afternoon of football with, depending on your point of view, either the beloved or hated Patriots advancing to another Super Bowl. In short, when customers wonder what they get for their electric and gas bills, this is it. A system that delivers when it’s needed most.
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Eversource electric customers have benefited from a system that has ranked in the top 10% nationally for reliability in recent years, thanks to proactive, prudent investments to make our infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather. From strengthening the system with stronger poles and covered wire, to installing automation technology that can isolate outages and shorten restoration times, we’re making sound, strategic investments that pay off for our customers, businesses and the state as a whole. Along with safety and reliability, affordability guides every decision we make, and importantly, we’ve been able to invest in our system in a cost-effective way, with our distribution costs in the middle of the pack nationally.
This includes the cost of our comprehensive vegetation management program, which is critical to ensuring reliability for customers in a heavily forested region like New England, where trees remain the leading cause of storm-related power outages. With more than 17,000 miles of roadside distribution lines in Connecticut, our vegetation management crews work year-round to trim hazardous trees that threaten reliability. By proactively managing vegetation along power lines and rights-of-way, we reduce the likelihood that branches fall onto wires during storms – preventing outages before they occur.
Municipal workers from the Meriden Parks Division clear snow off the steps of the Meriden Green Bridge on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, a day after the state was hit by snow. (Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant)
On the natural gas side, our customers also benefit from a system designed to perform under extreme conditions. Our natural gas system is built to handle volatile temperature swings and maintain reliable pressure during deep freezes – which isn’t a choice in New England winters – and we invest in our own liquified natural gas (LNG) and propane facilities that provide critical supply when regional pipeline capacity is constrained, helping to strengthen the system’s resilience and prevent service interruptions. Ensuring these systems run as designed during extreme weather also requires extensive planning by our skilled workforce, and as a result of these cumulative efforts, our gas system across Connecticut performed well during this storm and prolonged cold snap – safeguarding customers’ access to heat during low single-digit temperatures.
Weather conditions themselves also played an important role during this particular storm. Extremely cold temperatures meant the snow was dry and relatively light. Along with light winds, less weight on tree limbs helped avoid the type of damage that typically leads to major, statewide electric impacts. We were also fortunate that, despite the arctic cold and high demand, the region’s tightly constrained energy supply was sufficient to meet customer needs. As an energy delivery company, Eversource does not generate electricity; our role is to safely and reliably deliver power and natural gas to customers, regardless of how or where that energy is produced. That said, bringing additional supply into the region remains essential to long-term reliability and affordability, and our region’s energy supply was certainly tested last week.
This isn’t about taking a victory lap – it’s simply an acknowledgement that the system performed as designed when customers needed it most. There will be more storms that deliver stronger winds that will bring trees down onto electric lines and equipment, causing significant outages, and when that happens, our crews will be ready to respond safely and effectively. But consistent, long-term investment means the system is better prepared to withstand severe weather with minimal disruption.
While the next storm is never far away in New England, the value proposition for our customers and the state is clear – strategic, cost-effective investments in reliability deliver real benefits to families, businesses and the broader economy. They allow us to collectively weather the worst of New England’s unforgiving weather with minimal disruption to critical services – and yes, to the joy of many in our region and the chagrin of others in Connecticut, share in watching the Patriots win an AFC Championship with the heat on and the power flowing.
Steve Sullivan is Eversource president of Electric Operations. Kevin Kelley is Eversource president of Natural Gas Operations