Transformer explosion cuts power to Cambridgeport households

What happened

More than 1,700 households lost power in the Cambridgeport neighbourhood after a transformer exploded at about 3:26 p.m. on Tuesday 18 June 2024, according to an Eversource outage map. The Cambridge Fire Department responded to a transformer fire at Pearl and Putnam shortly before 3:30 p.m. The fire was reported to have destroyed the transformer, the pole and all attached wiring, including phone, electrical and cable lines. The map expected power to be restored to residents by 5:15 p.m. A city spokesperson said some blocks would be without power for an extended period. Whether that time was met, and the cause, were not reported.

Contributing factors

The cause of the explosion was not reported.

Lessons learned

1. Outage maps should give an expected restoration time and say clearly where some blocks may stay off longer.
2. A distribution transformer fire can destroy the pole and attached power and communications lines, so restoration may need more than a like-for-like replacement.
3. Fire service and utility updates should be aligned when an overhead failure leaves customers without power.

Source

thecrimson.com