PSEG is storm aware

The Public Service Enterprise Group [PSEG] was better prepared for Hurricane Hermine than LIPA was for Hurricane Sandy, according to Kristina Pappas, media coordinator for PSEG.

The utility has been working hard since taking over for the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) in Jan. 2014 to rebuild the electric infrastructure of Long Island.

PSEG Long Island took over electricity on Long Island New Year’s Day 2014.

Electric customers were upset with the previous power entities, first with the Long Island Power Company, then LIPA, and its poor response to Hurricane Sandy. The Newark-based PSEG won a 12-year; $5 billion contract to take over LIPA. David Daly, PSEG Long Island president said the utility has learned from LIPA’s mistakes.

In 2014, more than $729 million of federal recovery funds were available for LIPA through an agreement between Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), under the FEMA Mitigation Program. PSEG is using that money for an extensive ‘circuit reliability improvement project’ across its service area. According to a press release from PSEG, work has already started on more than 80 circuits. Approximately seven circuits within either Island Park or Oceanside are on that project list. Work is scheduled to being on them in 2017. PSEG plans to replace existing wire with more weather-resistant wire, install new and more durable poles in several locations and install and/or replace switching equipment to help reduce the number of customers affected by an outage.

In 2014 and 2015, PSEG trimmed approximately four circuits that affected Oceanside and Island Park. This summer, PSEG performed a special ‘circuit reliability improvement tree trim project’ in Oceanside and another circuit is set to be trimmed later this fall. The utility is beginning a four or five year trimming schedule, pruning trees to 10 feet below, eight feet on the sides and 12 feet above the high voltage power lines. LIPA used a six-foot clearance. The lines lower on electric poles are cable, telephone, fire alarm, and fiber optic, plus the lines to each home. The utility does not trim trees around these lines, and recommends homeowners hire a contractor to trim around the connections to a house.

The utility will assist a homeowner in removing trees. Call Center at 800-490-0075 for information. According to the utility’s web site: The number of customers affected by tree-related outages for the circuits that were trimmed as compared to the previous year was reduced by 60%.