Lynn bakery owner, councilors irked by utility’s plan

LYNN – Fitzroy Alexander needs power.The president and owner of Traditional Breads is concerned about how a National Grid wiring project might negatively affect his thriving Lynn business.The commercial bakery at 161 Pleasant St. operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, cranking out thousands of loaves, rolls and other goods for large clients like Legal Seafoods. It is among the city’s most successful enterprises. According to Alexander, a power outage or temporary shutdown of electricity, particularly one that occurs on short notice from National Grid, would cause him some major headaches.Earlier this week, Alexander attended a public hearing at City Hall where a National Grid representative was seeking permission to proceed with a handful of electrical power projects in Lynn. The project that caught Alexander’s attention entails a complete rewiring of the industrial electrical service at C. Bain, a multi-story warehouse on Pleasant Street, directly across from Traditional Breads.Ward 6 Councilor Peter Capano said Alexander and other business owners are rightfully wary of National Grid because the company does not adequately notify them of upcoming projects that require temporary electrical power loss. “We want some assurance that the power at Traditional Breads will not go out,” he said.Councilor-at-large Daniel Cahill made a motion that National Grid must notify in writing all abutters affected by its projects, stating the date and time work will be carried out. He declined to support National Grid’s permit applications unless the notification requirement was stipulated.Power outages can seriously impact food establishments, he said.Councilor-at-Large Paul Crowley said problems related to National Grid work sites have become so frequent he urged the council to consider imposing fines against the company. Assistant Attorney Richard Vitali was asked to research that possibility.Capano asked the council to instruct the National Grid representative at the public hearing to meet immediately with Alexander about the upcoming work at C. Bain, 154-158 Pleasant St., and resolve the matter.Councilors also unanimously adopted the stipulations regarding the need to notify abutters in writing.In addition to Pleasant Street, upcoming National Grid work sites include 219 Lewis St., 3-5 Chestnut St., and the electrical transmission towers relocation project on the Lynnway.National Grid spokeswoman Deborah Drew said company policy is to give customers seven days written notice of a planned power outage. “Often time, if it is one customer to be affected, or a small group of larger customers, we will send a representative out to work with them,” she said. “We do whatever we can to lessen the impact.”A misunderstanding may have arisen last December when National Grid crews showed up on Pleasant Street without notice, she said, explaining that an underground cable failed. “We did have an unplanned outage in that area caused by a cable failure that interrupted service. No one could have anticipated it,” she said.Drew said the longest planned power outages in her experience lasted 8-12 hours. “When that happens, we work closely with the customers and I’m certain our customer relations will continue in the future,” she said.