Unions: CL&P delayed restoring power

Connecticut Light & Power Co. is denying allegations that it delayed responding to power outages caused by last weekend's storm because it didn't want to pay some crews double time for working longer shifts, the Associated Press reports.

CL&P crews were working Tuesday to restore electricity to about 40,000 customers, mostly in southwestern Connecticut.

Officials of Local 457 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers say CL&P set a schedule for linesmen Saturday and Sunday that avoided a higher double time pay rate and delayed power restoration to some customers. One union official says only 25 percent of workers were allowed to work overnight.

CL&P spokesman Mitch Gross denied the allegations and says the company's response has been aggressive.

State regulators say they're investigating about 20 complaints about CL&P's response to the outages.