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25 Investigates: Utility pole confusion angers homeowners

PLYMPTON, Mass. -- An electric company reversed course Thursday afternoon, after 25 Investigates asked why it refused to replace a badly damaged utility pole on a homeowner’s property in Plympton.

The homeowner contacted investigative reporter Eric Rasmussen when Eversource told her it did not own the utility pole which was snapped in half by high winds during the first of two nor’easters to hammer the area this month.

“I’m beyond angry,” said Lisa Reilly.

The storm that damaged the utility pole also took down dozens of trees in the neighborhood, but Reilly says she thought the problem was going to be resolved when Eversource crews arrived to restore electricity to her house on Wednesday.

“I was told they had a pole. That they were going to put it up,” said Reilly. “Next thing I know, I get a knock on the door saying, ‘we have a problem. We were told by dispatch that this is not Eversource’s pole.'”

While the crew restored electricity to Reilly’s home, it left power lines draped across the branches of some trees that were also badly damaged.

An electrical inspector with the town of Plympton told 25 Investigates there are many privately owned poles in the area, but Reilly says Eversource assured her it did, in fact, own the utility pole in question, during a previous conversation in 2015.

One hour after 25 Investigates contacted Eversource on Thursday, a company spokeswoman confirmed it did own the pole, despite what the company told the homeowner just a day earlier.

“There were conflicting reports (about who owned the pole) during this massive restoration effort,” said Eversource spokeswoman Priscilla Ress. “The main goal was to get (Reilly’s) power back on.”

The company also apologized for the confusion and a crew returned to the property later in the day to install a new utility pole. Eversource says workers replaced about 200 poles in Massachusetts during the last week of severe weather.