News: Power Restoration on Long Island
(Long Island, N.Y.) A week after the storm residents are left with the largest and most expensive attempts at power restoration in Long Island’s history. Homeowners everywhere are either grateful for the return to power or outraged over the lengthy restoration process that has lasted longer than ever before. In the wake of tropical storm Irene the biggest complaints seem to be concerning customer satisfaction.
As of six on Sunday evening the Long Island Power Authority, which has teamed up with National Grid, reported that 99% of Long Islanders have gotten their power back. Nonetheless, the companies are faced with a long list of detailed performance reviews and the possible loss of hefty future contracts. Reports stated that the fate of a $2.3 billion contract is up in the air since mixed feelings have been inspired from the handling of the storm’s aftermath.
Stories about the ongoing loss of power highlighted frustrated residents who claimed to have done everything in order to restore it. One source featured homeowners who hung banners on their front yards that listed the number of days they had gone without power. Reports claimed that local congressmen across Long Island have been outraged by LIPA’s response to the storm.
Sources claimed that the Long Island Power Authority and National Grid have intentions of conducting public hearings to provide a closer look into the matter. Followers of the story have gathered that investigations will be held, similar to those that occurred after the city’s response to the 2010 Post-Christmas Blizzard. New York City’s emergency response to the blizzard was up for review in the way that many are looking at LIPA’s answer to tropical storm Irene.
One of the questions from aggravated residents seems to be whether LIPA was short-staffed or simply didn’t work hard enough to bring the situation to a close. Reports stated that LIPA’s contract with National Grid may expire in the next couple of years. The company was supposed to improve since the response to last year’s March nor’easter pushed for progress.
The nor’easter allegedly cost the Long Island Power Authority $68 million, three-quarters of which was covered by federal disaster relief funds. The damage caused by tropical storm Irene could be over $100 million and LIPA is hoping for similar payments from a federal source. Some feel, however, that the power company did all that they could to restore power and that things could have been worse if the weather continued to be rough after the storm.
