PSEG working to restore power to about 900 customers, many on East End

With roads opening up and the sun out, PSEG Long Island’s nearly 1,000 crews were working to address the last remaining outages of just under 900 customers Tuesday as those who’d struggled through a cold Monday night expressed hope their power would be back by day’s end.

In a statement Tuesday morning, PSEG said it expected to have "the majority" of the remaining customers impacted by the outages restored by noon. In all, about 45,000 customers experienced an outage since 3 p.m. Sunday, the company said, some lasting more than a day. Some of those out were new outages from the post-storm period. 

The impact of the blizzard was considerably larger than the Jan. 25 snowstorm that blanketed the region. Newsday reported that storm had only minor impacts, with a few dozen remaining out of power by the following Monday.

Many of this storm’s outages were in remote areas of the East End. PSEG’s map showed a large swath of customers with their power out on Old Stone Highway in East Hampton.

Susan Denton, who lives on the road, said that while she wasn’t among those who lost power, her daughter in nearby Amagansett was out Monday after a neighbor’s tree took knocked down her power. PSEG had restored it by Tuesday morning, Denton said.

"I’ve seen them all over the place," she said of PSEG trucks and restoration crews. The problem appeared to be "a lot of old trees," which crews had trimmed prior to the storm. PSEG’s outage map showed a swath of East Hampton village and Springs awaiting restoration, which the utility estimated would be by 2 p.m.

Spokespersons for PSEG and LIPA declined interview requests on Tuesday. PSEG in a prepared statement said, "We have restored the majority of customers who experienced outages yesterday and continue working in challenging conditions to complete repairs for the remaining customers without power as quickly and as safely as possible."

Bruce Bates, emergency manager for the Town of East Hampton, said there were just over 4,000 town residents with power out during the height of the storm Monday. Nearly all had their power restored by 1 p.m. Tuesday, he noted.

"They’ve been hitting it pretty hard," he said of PSEG crews. One stretch of Lazy Point, on Shore Road, had about 50 customers still out by 1 p.m., but PSEG was projecting restoration by 2 p.m., he said. "They’re chiseling away at it," he said of the remaining outages. PSEG had around 40 trucks stationed at the East Hampton Airport in advance of the storm, Bates said.

Bates said there "certainly were" homes that went overnight without power and heat, but the town Police Department received only two complaints from seniors concerning the cold, and the town was able to work with PSEG to get those homes restored. Most of the outages were in Amagansett and Montauk, he said. "It was unfortunate," Bates said of those who had no power overnight, but he also noted that many of the homes were believed to be unoccupied.

"It was a significant number," he said of the 4,000 or so homes without power, "but considering we’re not 24 hours out and we’re near complete restoration, I think that’s pretty remarkable."

Newsday reported on Monday that some utility vehicles had been caught in snow that was accumulating faster than plow crews could clear it. PSEG on Monday noted that "high snowfall and poor travel conditions" led to "reports of vehicles stuck in the snow. We are working to overcome these challenges."

Those who endured Monday night without power said the most significant repercussion was the cold.

"We’re trying to stay warm," said Andrew Pennacchia, of Laurel, who said his family were "all bundled up and slept close to each other" to get through the night. 

"It’s been an adventure," said Susanne Fruin, who lost power to her Laurel home on Delmar Drive at 1 p.m. on Monday. The utility told her power would be restored Tuesday. She said she had been staying warm "with blankets and a lot of puppies" in the interim and getting coffee from a local cafe because her machine wasn’t operable.

Customers with all-electric heat pumps may have faced additional challenges, even if their power remained on. Large amounts of snow can overcome the outdoor units, which have internal fans and grills open to the elements.

The air-source heat pumps "work best with a clear space around and above the outdoor unit," PSEG said Monday, advising customers to "clear snow from the top and sides of the unit, including the base to allow for proper drainage during defrost cycle."

By Mark Harrington

mark.harrington@newsday.comMHarringtonNews

Mark Harrington, a Newsday reporter since 1999, covers energy, wineries, Indian affairs and fisheries.