Blackout customers still angry with Con Ed

Three months after the crippling 10-day blackout in northwestern Queens and two weeks after Con Edison released their report explaining in technical jargon some of the immediate causes of the power outage, some affected local residents remain angry at both the utility giant and at the reimbursement caps - which allow for $350 for individuals and $7,000 for businesses.
About 25 residents lambasted the power company and the 600-page report while testifying in front of the Public Service Commission (PSC) on Wednesday, October 25.
&#8220It was miserable living around here, working around here, just trying to get around for those nine days,” said Jack Brucculeri, a 40-year resident of Astoria, who spoke on behalf of the 31st Street Merchants Association, which represents over 200 local shops.
Brucculeri said that, on average, businesses pay $130 per day in rent for their stores, so over the course of nine days - some areas were without power one day longer - electrically disabled shop owners lost $1,170 in rent.
&#8220What about the rent that Con Ed's negligence caused them to lose?” Brucculeri asked the PSC judge, Eleanor Stein.
Sunnyside resident Chryse Glackin, who was without power for six days, called for one month of free electricity and demanded that the PSC refuse the next proposed rate hike by Con Ed to pay for maintenance work.
&#8220I work at a print shop, and I could never say, ‘Sorry, we are out of ink,'” Glackin said. &#8220Someone somewhere has got to take a bit of responsibility.”
Glackin said that as a Con Ed customer she would be informed immediately if her payment was past due, and her service would be shut off after one notice, making it very difficult to get service back without a deposit or other fee.
&#8220They [Con Ed] make a mistake and make 100,000 people suffer, and they are going to ask for a rate hike for maintenance sooner or later,” Glackin said, calling on the PSC to tell the power company, &#8220You should have been doing it [maintenance work] for the past 40 years.”
Several residents told the PSC about the trails they endured during the blackout. Michael Davis' wife was hospitalized and Alyssa Bonilla's friend lost his dog from heat exhaustion.
&#8220One of the most painful aspects of this power outage for me was the feeling that my situation was not taken seriously,” Sunnyside resident Bonilla said.
Bonilla and several others made suggestions that were put into the PSC record including: An assessment of the &#8220real” impact of the blackout; an investigation into Con Ed's past maintenance of the Long Island City grid; the removal of Con Ed trucks that are not being used for construction to free up parking spots; a door-to-door canvas of affected residents when a blackout occurs, and a look into why certain neighborhoods were serviced later than others.
&#8220I'm angry that there aren't answers to these basic questions tonight,” said Astoria resident Jerry Kahn.
Kahn's full testimony, as well as other testimony given to the PSC previously, and in future meetings, will be posted online www.dps.state.ny.us within a week of the hearing as part of the PSC's continuing investigation.