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.
