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Aug 28, 2023By: Tim Wood
Topics: Public Utilities
A temporary generator was brought in to power the buildings at the housing authority’s Anchorage property after a transformer failed Sunday. TIM WOOD PHOTO
CHATHAM – Residents of The Anchorage were left without power for about six hours Sunday after a transformer failed at the housing authority complex on Crowell Road.
Tenants reported hearing a “pretty loud bang” at about 9:30 a.m., according to housing authority maintenance supervisor Matt Stone. A transformer that sat on a concrete slab along the parking area apparently exploded, shaking the nearby buildings, he said.
According to an Eversource spokesperson, the problem was attributed to a fault in an underground cable.
The fire department responded but there was no fire, nor were any injuries reported. But The Anchorage’s five buildings, which hold a total of 40 units, and the office building were without power.
Eversource crews were on scene quickly, Stone said. He cleared out the area around the transformer, which was overgrown with poison ivy, so that crews could get at the failed equipment. After inspecting the damage, Eversource officials decided to replace and upgrade the transformer as well as the underground cable, according to spokesperson Christopher McKinnon.
Until that work could be done, Eversource brought in subcontractor Sunburst to install a large generator to power the complex.
“They were able to get all of the tenants’ power back yesterday,” Stone said Monday. Residents were without power for a total of about six hours, he said. Sunburst kept a crew member on site overnight to ensure that the generator continued to function.
“We were lucky that it was a nice day out, and nobody got hurt,” Stone said, crediting Eversource for its quick response to the situation.
Utility crews worked all day Monday to install the new transformer and underground cable. McKinnon said the new equipment will improve system reliability in the area.
Built in 1972, The Anchorage is run by the town’s housing authority and includes 40 one-bedroom apartments for disabled and senior residents.