Letter: Electrical grid needs upgrade
A utility worker repairs a Long Island Power Authority line after a storm. Credit: Kathy Kmonicek, 2010
The Cuomo administration has referred to the Long Island Power Authority as a bloated bureaucracy that needs drastic reform ["Cuomo moves in on LIPA," Editorial, Aug. 19]. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has ordered a review of the organization's structure.
There is also a need to address the grid system. During common rain or thunderstorms, the power in my neighborhood is often disturbed. We experience surges and outages lasting from 10 minutes to hours, so frequently that we have a flashlight in every room in the house. We stockpile candles and have purchased a gas-fueled generator.
Meanwhile, during these inconveniences, our neighbors across the street still have lights and power. We were told that our side is on a different grid and that it is overburdened. Several times, our across-the-street neighbors have helped us run our basement pumps by allowing us to borrow power from their homes. It is not unusual to see four or five power cords running across the street.
Power distribution should be balanced so that particular neighborhoods don't constantly lose power while others rarely have so much as a surge.
Larry Parker, North Woodmere
