LIPA Line-Crews are Dispatched to Assist the Electric Power Restoration
Effort in Upstate New York
Uniondale, NY-January 16, 2007-A mid-winter storm blasted parts of the Nation’s Midwest and extended into the Northeast this weekend, bringing down trees and electric power lines.
The weight of accumulating ice on tree limbs and overhead electric lines has created widespread damage. The ice buildup as of Monday has knocked out electric service to about 80,000 customers in upstate New York.
In response to a request for assistance from National Grid, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) has dispatched six (6) line crews to the Albany area to assist in restoring service to National Grid customers. The six crews or 17 personnel are in route to the Albany area and are expected to be on site until Friday of this week.
“Lending a hand to other utilities during times of critical need is the right thing to do. It is absolutely vital to get electric service restored to area residents as quickly as possible,” said LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel. “LIPA is pleased to assist the residents of upstate New York through the electric utility mutual assistance program.”
LIPA, a non-profit municipal electric utility, owns the retail electric Transmission and Distribution System on Long Island and provides electric service to over 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. In terms of customers served, LIPA is the 3rd largest municipal electric utility in the nation
and the 6th largest in terms of electricity delivered. LIPA does not provide natural gas service or own any on-island electric generating assets.
###
LIPA Contact Information:
Media Relations: (516) 719-9892
Media Pager: (516) 525-LIPA
media.relations@lipower.org
LIPA News Center
http://www.lipower.org/newscenter
