At 7:30 AM, we received a call from a unit owner reporting that half her condo had lost power. By 8:00 AM, Stephen was on site, meeting with a United Illuminating (UI) supervisor to investigate the issue.
Initial diagnostics revealed a fault between the unit owner’s meter and the pad-mounted transformer. Recognizing the issue’s complexity, Stephen brought in one of insight’s trusted electricians to assist in troubleshooting.
It was quickly determined that the best course of action was to involve a UI line crew to physically pull the underground service line to locate the exact failure point.
Once the transformer was opened, it became clear we were in for a challenge: not only were the service lines unlabeled, but a few labels were incorrect. After methodically identifying the correct service line, the transformer was disconnected to allow the faulty cable to be pulled and inspected.
UI’s Line crew pulling the damaged wire.
As the cable was extracted, we monitored it closely to locate the break and pinpoint where the conduit had failed. Fortunately, the damaged section was discovered just two feet from the start of the pull.
The culprit? A poorly positioned transformer pad and conduit that was cut too short — which over time had pinched and stressed the wire, ultimately causing the failure. (We’re looking at you, UI.) Thanks to a coordinated effort between management, electrical contractors, and utility personnel, the issue was diagnosed and addressed quickly, minimizing downtime and restoring safe electrical service to the unit owner.
From there, UI’s line crew re-pulled new service lines from the transformer to the unit’s meter. insight’s electrician completed the reconnection to the home’s electrical panel. Once all connections were secured, UI reinstalled the pad-mounted transformer and restored service. By 6:30 PM, the unit owner had full power restored — all in the same day.
At insight, we pride ourselves on rapid response, technical precision, and a hands-on approach when emergencies strike. This incident is just one example of our commitment to protecting the homes and comfort of the communities we manage.
When Insight Real Estate & Management took over the management of Broadview Condominiums in early 2024, we didn’t anticipate that we’d face a critical electrical emergency within months. This incident tested our crisis management capabilities and commitment to resident safety.
On a Thursday evening, the North building began experiencing power outages. We immediately contacted Eversourse to assess the situation. Eversourse reported back to us that the issue was not on their side of the power lines. We called in Taylormade Construction, one of our trusted electrical contractors. They inspected the electrical equipment and noted that due to an undetected water leak from the underground conduit, the bus bars on the switch gear built-up corrosion and shorted out. Unfortunately, he had prior commitments and could no longer assist. We then called QC Electric, which arrived late in the evening. They proved invaluable in coordinating efforts with Eversource and the fire marshall – who was called in for fire watch. QC’s work continued overnight, ensuring that a temporary solution could be put in place and that the South building’s power could remain on during this power outage.
The following day, three other electrical contractors were called to provide solutions. Ultimately, only QC provided two options: renting a 1600 kVA generator or temporarily installing a 1200-amp disconnect they sourced from Boston. The generator cost was approximately $250,000; thus, the only realistic option was installing the 1200-amp disconnect. After securing emergency permits and coordinating approvals from city officials and Eversource’s metering division, QC began removing the damaged gear and putting measures in place to ensure building code compliance with the temporary service installation. QC’s team worked overnight into Saturday afternoon.
By Saturday night, power was fully restored after Eversource completed the transformer work. The efforts over 72 hours demonstrated a robust and coordinated response, with our team managing vendors, securing permits, and maintaining transparent communication with residents and board members throughout the process.
Key Takeaways:
Effective collaboration with vendors and officials is critical to successfully managing emergencies.
Transparent communication builds trust and helps residents feel supported.
Investing in professional equipment inspections can prevent similar emergencies.
We are proud of our team’s swift and strategic response to this incident. It underscores our dedication to safeguarding communities and ensuring resident satisfaction, even under challenging circumstances.
This achievement would not have been possible without the efforts of everyone involved.
