Utilities need to improve outage fixes, senator says
State Sen. Jen Metzger says utility companies need to invest more in “boots-on-the-ground” employees to better deal with power outages caused by weather events like the recent Tropical Storm Isaias.
Metzger, D-Rosendale, also has asked the state Public Service Commission to look into the matter.
A statement from the senator’s office said Metzger told commission Chairman John Rhodes that “she was concerned that utilities were ‘top heavy’ and were not investing in the needed linemen and women.”
Metzger, who is running for re-election in November, “urged the Public Service Commission to undertake a statewide assessment of boots-on-the-ground staffing needs that takes into account the impacts of climate change on
the severity and frequency of storms, as well as local infrastructure and outage risks,” the statement from her office said.
It said Rhodes responded that he would “consider such a study.”
Isaias barreled through the Mid-Hudson Valley on Aug. 4 with strong winds and heavy rain, cutting power to more than a third of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp.’s 305,000 customers. Some didn’t get their electricity back for more than four days.
Central Hudson spokesman John Maserjian said the Poughkeepsie-based company has invested a considerable amount in hiring repair employees in recent years.
“Central Hudson’s complement of electric line workers has been trending upwards over the last decade,” Maserjian said in a prepared statement. “Our increased focus on infrastructure improvements and the need to meet our normal operating requirements prompted the addition of 25 additional line professionals since 2011 alone, with 160 employed in total today.”
Also, he said, Central Hudson “currently utilizes about 75 line contractors for various local projects, who are immediately available to assist” in repairing storm-related outages.
Maserjian said Central Hudson has a total of about 235 full-time employees and contractors who can be deployed throughout the company’s eight-county coverage area at any time, plus hundreds more serving in support roles, such as removing trees and delivering equipment and supplies.
The spokesman also said an effort is underway to expand training, allowing for a larger Central Hudson line workforce. That would “enlarge the pool of available resources,” he said.
“During large-scale emergencies, utilities rely on mutual aid, similar to the practice used by other emergency responders, such as fire departments and law enforcement,” Maserjian said. “This is an important aspect of planning and coordinating storm response — to bring inside and outside resources together to address emergencies.”
Metzger’s office said the senator also is concerned about storm responses by New York State Electric & Gas Corp. and Orange & Rockland Utilities Inc., both of which serve parts of the 42nd Senate District that Metzger represents.
“Many of my constituents in Orange and Sullivan counties suffered unacceptably prolonged delays in restoration of power [after Isaias],” the senator said. “And while O&R’s website said the utility was working 24/7 to restore service, their own linemen and women have said that this is not true.”
A week ago, state utility regulators threatened steep penalties against several utilities, including Central Hudson and O&R, for responses to Isaias that Gov. Andrew Cuomo called “unacceptable.”
Cuomo said the companies must take steps to improve their post-outage repairs.
Metzger and state Sen. James Skoufis, D-Cornwall, recently called on Central Hudson to reimburse customers for “for damages and losses, like food and medication spoilage,” caused by prolonged power outages after Isaias.
Maserjian responded at the time that the company does “not reimburse for losses” resulting from outages that are caused by weather, and he said residents’ requests for compensation should be directed to their insurance carriers.