Editor's Note: This article was written and submitted by Joe Dowd.
A top official with the Long Island Power Authority said Friday it will take at least until next weekend to restore power to most of the communities it serves.
That estimate does not include portions of Long Island that were ravaged by flooding or other catastrophic damage left in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
Nicholas Lizanich, vice president of operations for LIPA, said the utility is facing an unprecedented disaster – twice the impact of last year's Hurricane Irene. He added that LIPA has restored service to about half its customers.
The interview came on the same day Gov. Andrew Cuomo repeated a pointed warning to the power companies. Cuomo said utilities could be fined or lose their license to operate if they are not responsive to their customers.
LIPA has slightly more than 1 million customers.
"We've reached the halfway point and are doing well in that regard," Lizanich said.
Another 520,000 households – more than 1 million people – remain without power to their homes and businesses. Power will be restored incrementally as the work progresses.
But Lizanich could not be more specific about which areas will be powered-up next because crews are working to restore distribution points along the electrical grid first.
Also, it will take much longer to restore power to about 100,000 customers living in flood damaged areas along the South Shore, including the Rockaways and communities facing the Great South Bay.
LIPA normally operates with about 500 utility workers, but out-of-state crews have come in to lend a hand, pumping the total number working to restore power to about 3,000. Another 2,000 are expected to join the workforce in the coming days.
Some crews and their trucks are being flown in from California, Arizona, Texas and Florida via C-130 cargo planes arriving at East Coast Air Force bases. The hurricane damaged vast stretches of Atlantic seaboard, and utility crews are in demand for 1,000 miles, he said.
Gov. Cuomo, at a wide ranging press conference this morning in New York, demanded timely results from LIPA and the other utilities.
"I will hold them accountable for their performance," Cuomo said. "I'm going to remind them of that every day – in fact, twice a day – that I will hold them accountable."
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LIPA: Restoration Nine Days Away
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Joe Targove June 16, 2013 at 08:14 am
I'm willing to donate my party place in east Meadow and my dj services for free to help the kids. ..…Read More dreamcatcher516@gmail.com joe
Mickey June 10, 2013 at 08:25 am
Natalie. I am so sorry to read this. I too have a little 5 yr. old dog who I love desperately...…Read More and I feel your pain. There is another website for an organization that does an amazing job finding lost pets. It's LOSTMYDOGGIE.COM There is a small fee, but they get signs up all over the area and have a phone system set up where everyone in the area of where she was lost gets a PHONE CALL ALERT message to watch for Molly. They leave a phone number and their website address so if anyone has seen her or has her they know where to call. Great system! Check it out! I've never used them, but I HAVE received calls myself recently on 2 separate lost dogs and I've seen the many photos they hung up in my area in Levittown for dogs lost within a few miles of this area. In other words, they DO what they say they will do to help find Molly. Just want you to know what is out there to help you bring Molly home. My grandkids go to school around Grand and Camp Ave. We'll be watching for her! God Bless and good luck! I'm sure she will be returned to you real soon!!
Natalie Molloy June 10, 2013 at 10:14 am
Molly is actually not my dog , however I understandthe feeling of losing a dog and thought it would…Read More be a good idea to post on the Patch.
This evening, I listened to the interim CEO, Michael D. Hervey speak on Ch 12 today and was so disappointed. He basically danced around the questions, took NO responsibility for lack of planning and preparation, was actually blaming his own website for delays in updates and said, "I will TRY to get to everyone this week". What??? "Try", did he really say "try"? What kind of a CEO is this? There is NO try in a crisis, there is only DO. He should have said, I will DO everything I can to get to everyone. This was not reassuring to me. Perhaps LIPA management is in over the heads in managing this utility and new management is needed. The sooner the better.
"We're done. Except for the hard stuff. That will take longer. Maybe forever."
What are you saying? If someone's not in the union then there not skilled tradesmen? Everyone needs health ins., retirement and decent wages! If everyone was to get all that then the price of everything would be triple of what your paying now! I bet when you go shopping for some company to replace your roof on your house that you don't hire a union company because there to expensive. LOL. you hire the non union!!! I see your user name isn't showing your name and address. Your such a hypocrite!!!! Joe who? From where? LMFAO. I'm a skilled tradesmen and have done pretty good with out my gang of THUGS backing be!!!!! Your just another bum that needs to join a gang because your to stupid to make it on your own! And I help pay your health ins. and retierment every day along with alot of other non union workers! What dose the union workers do for the non union workers????? Not a friggin thing. Enjoy yourself you clueless, ignorant, selfish crook!!!!!!
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To change things at LIPA, voice your opinions now by calling or writing to your local and state officials. These officials can't help you if you don't make them aware of the magnitude of your problems with LIPA. To hold LIPA accountable, you can also sign the petition at: http://www.signon.org/sign/hold-lipa-accountable?source=homepage Long Islanders deserve better LIPA management - remember, you are paying for these services that you are not getting after days in the dark. Don't be silent on this issue, speak out to the right people and be heard!