It took 12 weeks after Eversource told us "30 days," but they're in

You may remember my post, from back in November, about how we got our 4 private poles installed - then how they all got destroyed by a freak Nor’Easter about 7 days later. We have since repaired the poles, which only cost us $500 thanks to our pole guy being an incredible human being. None of the wires, despite like 4 massive trees on top of one of them, sustained any damage and the poles themselves just needed a bit of readjusting to get everything back to par. Finally, it was time for Eversource to get in and do their part. 

On October 27, Eversource cashed our $6,300 check - the cost for them to come in and finish the job, installing the remaining 2 poles as well as inspecting and taking over the 4 private poles for life. Once completed, these poles would then be the responsibility of Eversource and no longer our problem if another storm came and took them out in the future. My point of contact from Eversource ensured us they would be in before winter came, specifically stating “within 30 days” during our phone conversation regarding their timeframe. 

Thirty days go by without a word from Eversource, and we are once again hit with a high-winds storm, knocking out power all over Acushnet and surrounding towns. Nothing like waking up to photos of poles lying in the middle of the street on social media to kick start your PTSD. The storm had mercy on us this time around, but prompted me to pick up the phone and ask for an update, to which my point of contact responds, “Wow I’m really sorry, I thought that job was done already.”

What.

So you’re telling me that Eversource CASHED my $6,300 check and just “forgot” to install 2, 40ft telephone poles? Fantastic. He tells me he has to reissue the dig-safe, as it had obviously expired by this point, and that they’d be coming out within the next week or so. 

Then we got a blizzard. 

Christmas day was another day filled with high winds, snow, and anxiety. The phrase “pole check” was becoming a normal part of our lives as we once again got into the car, holding our breath for the duration of the 20 minute drive until we knew whether or not we remained unscathed. While round 3 was a victory for us, the sheer volume of people who were without power was going to once again push us to the back burner - probably just in time for another storm to come through - and we were now approaching that time of the year I was trying to avoid when I sent them the check in October.  

The weeks continued to drag on as my patience for Eversource became shorter, and every mention of snow or wind would send me into a panic-stricken mess. During one of my routine “pole checks,” there was some sign of activity in the form of one giant pole laying on the ground near the spot it was plotted to go. I suppose a bit of reassurance that they didn’t, in fact, forget about us this time - you know, since that was something I had to stay on top of after a major company takes $6,300 from me. 

By mid-January, TWELVE WEEKS after they told us “30 days,” I finally get a phone call from our point of contact saying they were putting in the poles as we spoke.

During this phone call, I was asked to give him the driveway master lock combination one more time, but that didn't stop them from completely ripping the rope from the tree and undoing the loop.

By the grace of the karma gods, they had trouble placing both poles because of the ledge on the property, reaffirming that we made the correct decision not to go underground. After five failed attempts hitting straight up rock, they were able to rework the plans, move the poles to the other side of the driveway, hook up the wiring to the street, and finally finish their end of the deal. 

Despite the struggles, we’ve come to the end of our pole saga, and feel a step closer to the dream we’ve been working so hard for.