Con Ed orders lights out for businesses

The two-day power outage in western Queens was not only uncomfortable, it turned into a nightmare for businesses.
Con Edison officials estimated that 2,000 customers in the borough were still with limited electricity 24-hours after their initial request on Tuesday, July 18 for subscribers in western Queens to curb usage of non-essential appliances including air conditioners. Then, on Wednesday, July 19, they called upon business owners in the areas of Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside, Hunters Point and Astoria to immediately discontinue their use of all electric service.
&#8220I put the air conditioner on anyway,” said Michael Balbo, owner of San Remo Pizza in Long Island City. &#8220I’m running full power – I don’t care. The ovens are at 600 degrees – it’s hot. As it is, the power failure affected the compressor in my ice machine. It’s worth $500.”
Con Edison customer outreach and energy services representatives got the word out to local merchants that they had to switch their power off. The energy giant also worked in cooperation with the Long Island City Business Development Corporation (LICBDC) to notify customers.
Chris Olert, spokesman for Con Edison, told The Queens Courier that the outage may be attributed to this week’s intense heat.
&#8220In the Long Island City network there are 22 feeders,” he said.”We lost a lot [of them] over the last few days.”
&#8220Con Edison’s failure to provide its most basic responsibility is unacceptable,” said Assemblyman Michael Gianaris. &#8220The people of western Queens deserve an explanation, and government must take steps to ensure Con Ed is better prepared for hot weather.”
While the exact cause of the outage is still unclear, Olert said that the company’s main concern was restoring power.
&#8220We want to get our customers’ [power] back and then analyze what caused the feeders to fail,” he said.
With crews working around the clock, Con Edison officials were unsure when electrical service would be restored as The Queens Courier went to press.
&#8220We have had some equipment come back, but we’ve had others go,” said Olert. &#8220We’re making some progress.”
In the interim, Olert advised residents to go to cooling centers to deal with the heat. He also said that crews would be distributing ice in the area.
Despite the company’s efforts, merchants were nonetheless angry.
&#8220I have $6,000 in damages minimum,” said George G., owner of Pita Pan in Astoria. &#8220I haven’t had power since Tuesday afternoon. I still don’t have power. This affected my business 100 percent. I can’t do business.”
Olert said that any businesses that suffered food spoilage due to the lack of power can file a claim on Con Edison’s web site, www.coned.com.
Each will be reviewed and handled on a case-by-case basis.
&#8220I already called Con Edison and they’re going to send me forms to see if I’m eligible to receive refunds for my damages,” said George G.