Monitoring for Ice Build Up on Power Lines
High Sustained Winds & Wind Gusts Predicted
Extra Crews Available to Make Repairs
Call 1-800-490-0075 to Report Downed Power Lines
Uniondale, NY – February 14, 2007 – 11:00AM — With the National Weather Service issuing an Ice Storm Warning and Wind Advisory for Nassau and Suffolk counties as of 10AM this morning, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) is closely monitoring the potential for ice build up on its power lines and has been restoring weather-related outages across
Long Island.
LIPA has extra repair and tree trim crews, logistical personnel and system managers, and call center personnel working extended shifts to restore power and respond to customer calls.
“We’ve been keeping up with the storm-related outages,” said LIPA CEO and President Richard M. Kessel. “We are anticipating the potential for an increased number of outages as the storm continues to progress across
Long Island, especially with the high probability for wind-related outages as the sustained winds and wind gusts intensify. As a result, we currently have about 700 personnel devoted to restoring power as quickly as possible, but the high wind gusts could make restoration efforts very difficult at times.”
“Play it safe,” said Mr. Kessel. “Don’t go near any – let me underscore any – downed lines. You can never be sure if it’s a power line, phone line or cable TV line. But it could be energized by coming in contact with a power line.”
LIPA customers can call 1-800-490-0075 to report an outage or downed line. For LIPA’s real-time storm outage reports, storm preparedness information, and links to weather sites and emergency response agencies go to: www.lipower.org/stormcenter.
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
LIPA Storm Center
http://www.lipower.org/stormcenter
