New Transformers for Mansfield Substation Runs into Delivery/Liability Problems

The new Mansfield Electric substation’s transformers arrived four weeks late. Now, the Mansfield Light Department is trying to figure out who’s liable.

The delivery came from Idaho and the delivery company hired was required to get permits to move the freight in an oversized load. The delivery company claims road construction forced the company to get new permits, explaining the delay.

But determining liability is another matter.

Town Manager William Ross said that there was not, to his knowledge, an abitration clause in the original contract, and therefore no plan is currently in place.

Ross said that the original contract was $3.2 million for the delivery, which has not yet been paid to the contractor, pending such negotiation as to find the amount of liability the contractor holds.

“If they don’t due their due diligence before they ship the darn thing and they run into permit problems along the way, I mean that’s their problem,” said Light commissioner and selectmen Doug Aninno. “They should’ve researched it out, the whole way through.”

While the delivery was four weeks late, they were the last part of the project and Mansfield was able to work around it. The project itself is still two weeks behind schedule.

Ross said that the contract does give the company some liability exclusions for the travel and delivery, but he still have some questions concerning the delivery.

The route called for the truck to go from Idaho to Mansfield, but because each permit for an oversized load requires forms from each state that it travels through, one problem means a complete restart in the permitting process. Ross  said that they had a GPS tracking unit on the transformers, and said they spent several days in West Virginia, an area not on the route, and with what seems an unnecessary permit.

“I don’t quite understand why a transporter in Idaho has to go through West Virginia,” he said.

Light Department director Gary Babin did point out that the route was somewhat convoluted because Connecticut does not allow for oversized loads on its highways, and that the truck had to go through upstate New York, Vermont and New Hampshire to avoid the state.

“They knew that when they left Idaho,” Commissioner Jess Aptowitz said. “What’s frustrating is when it’s an $8 million project, it’s easy to say. ‘oh it’s just another twenty thousand,’ but you know what? We shouldn’t be penalized at all.”