Firms turning to own sources of power

STAMFORD, Conn. -- Businesses are relying on their own sources of power as demand for electricity surges in Southwestern Connecticut. Most large companies in Stamford already own generators or have access to them, said Michael Friemuth, city economic development director.

``It's fundamental," he said.

Federal rules already require financial companies to operate emergency generators to prevent the loss of data, said Joseph McGee, at the Business Council of Fairfield County.

Robert Henry, director of facilities engineering at Purdue Pharma in Stamford, where UBS Investment Bank, the Switzerland-based financial services business is leasing space, said the bank is installing generators.

Connecticut Light & Power cut electricity Aug. 3 to thousands of customers in downtown Stamford when extreme heat damaged underground power lines.

Purdue Pharma, which was among the companies that lost power, switched on three generators. Two of Purdue Pharma's generators are in place to address ``life and safety" concerns for employees, Henry said. The third provides backup power for its data center and air conditioning unit. But because the generators could not produce enough power for the company to continue its office operations without assistance from the grid, Purdue sent employees home.