After publicly criticizing New York utility companies following Superstorm Sandy, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order today, which forms a commission to investigate and study the state’s power companies and their preparedness, reaction and management of storms over the past two years.
“From Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, to Hurricane Sandy, over the past two years New York has experienced some of the worst natural disasters in our state’s history,” said Cuomo. “As we adjust to the reality of more frequent major weather incidents, we must study and learn from these past experiences to prepare for the future.”
Under the Moreland Act, the commission can subpoena and examine witnesses under oath. In addition to reviewing how the utilities dealt with significant storms, it will also “make specific recommendations to reform and modernize oversight, regulation and management of New York’s power delivery services.”
One of the utilities the commission will be investigating includes the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). Today, a class action lawsuit was filed against the power company for its response to Sandy outages.
