Needed steps to fix electrical system

The Island Now

Sandy and the subsequent snowfall nor’easter have given us great cause for concern for our fellow Long Islanders who have experienced catastrophic homestead storm surge and high wind damage.  

I’ve witnessed the hardships facing our fellow Long Islanders as a result of these unprecedented weather events.  Rest assured affected Long Islanders, your fellow citizens are helping you in every way we possibly can.  Hats off to the line crews from across the country – including those lodging in many firehouses – for their hard work in restoring power.  Long Islanders you are not alone.

As I witness the hardship from the inland hamlets, to the back-bay communities of the south shore and the barrier islands, I am humbled by the perseverance and determination of my fellow Long Islanders.  I also realize that some of the current suffering in the aftermath of this catastrophic weather event could be reduced in future catastrophic weather events.

In my experience, neighborhood electrical restoration efforts were hampered in the aftermath of the March 2010 nor’easter, Tropical Storm Irene and Superstorm Sandy in the wake of substantial damage to our electrical transmission system.  Great efforts were made to restore transmission power to electrical sub-stations first.  Electrical distribution repairs from sub-stations to customers did not begin until transmission power was brought to the sub-stations.  Therein lies a bottleneck causing delays in customer power restoration.

I respectfully suggest that we “harden” and bolster the resiliency of the transmission and sub-station parts of our electrical system without exception so we may immediately tend to electrical distribution restoration to customers wherever and whenever the need may occur for both large and small outage events.  This hazard mitigation approach has a substantial cost, but so do extended power outages.  I believe the benefits of bolstering the reliability of the backbone of our electrical system is greater.

E Pluribus Unum – from the many we are one – Long Islanders.  I offer my suggestions, thinking of you and your loved ones as you and all of us put the pieces back together of the places that we love and hold dear in our hearts.                               

 

Edward W. Powers

New Hyde Park

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