PSEG LI: More than 99 percent of customers have power back after storm

Power should have been restored to nearly all of the Long Islanders affected by this week’s storm by 4 p.m., PSEG Long Island said Friday.

Heavy rains and strong winds Wednesday and Thursday knocked out power to more than 71,000 customers across Long Island and the Rockaways. As of 11 a.m., 69,966 of those customers had their lights turned back on, the utility said.

The PSEG Long Island outage map said 766 customers were without power as of 4:45 p.m., down from 1,300 as of 11 a.m.

“Crews have been working nonstop and will continue to work 16-hour shifts to assess damage and make repairs safely and as quickly as possible,” the utility said in a statement.

A “significant” number of outages involved extensive damage or equipment that was hard to reach because of its location or downed trees and debris, the utility said.

While most customers should have their power back by Friday afternoon, the utility said “a few tougher jobs” won’t be resolved until Friday evening.

To help those still in the dark, PSEG LI is opening outreach centers in two of the hardest-hit communities to allow customers to get water and ice, charge their cellphones and get information. The facilities will be located at:

• ShopRite, 5145 Nesconset Hwy. in Port Jefferson Station,
• Oakwood Park, Oakwood Road next to Stimson Middle School in Huntington Station

Customers can also charge their cellphones at any PSEG LI customer office. All offices are open until 5 p.m., except for the Far Rockaway office, which closes at 4 p.m., the utility said.

Five hundred tree-trimming and line personnel have been on hand Friday to repair damage and restore service to customers, PSEG LI said. Crews have removed or are in the process of removing 1,063 downed trees and fallen branches, the utility said.