Politics & Government

LIPA Told to Fix Communication With Residents

State's Department of Public Service issues recommendations to LIPA in light of last summer's storms.

The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) quickly came under scrutiny last summer after tropical storm Irene left some residents without power for more than one week.

The New York State Department of Public Service issued a 112-page report Thursday detailing corrections that LIPA should make in order to avoid a repeat of last summer's power fiasco.

Nassau County's South Shore was hit the hardest by Irene on Aug. 28, followed by Tropical Storm Lee just one week later.

Find out what's happening in Wantagh-Seafordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Newsday [paid link] has reported that LIPA "lacked the basic technical capability to tell customers when their power would be restored following Tropical Storm Irene last summer and failed to act on a consultant's 2006 recommendation to replace a crucial computer system that would have provided the information."

According to the Department of Public Service, LIPA had more than 523,000 customer outages due to Irene, more than any other utility.

Find out what's happening in Wantagh-Seafordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The department's report reads:

LIPA and National Grid have embraced recommendations for application in the Long Island service territory. These recommendations include recognition of the need to improve overall communication with the public, and increasing focus on improving procedures for obtaining and communicating accurate and timely restoration information during major outage events. LIPA and National Grid must update the information technology systems used during an emergency as well as routine work, and they must develop and implement an efficient make-safe process that includes collaboration with emergency responders and public officials.

LIPA and National Grid will have 30 days to complete the recommended implementations from the time they receive the receipt from the Department of Public Service's report. LIPA has told Newsday that most of the recommendations have already been put in place.


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