By Ivan Pereira
Three years ago on July 17 most of western Queens was engulfed in a blackout that paralyzed the community for more than a week.
Although Con Edison said it has invested billions of dollars to try to prevent a similar incident from taking place, western Queens leaders criticized the utility for not doing enough to reassure New Yorkers.
“A blackout this summer would be devastating,” warned City Councilman Eric Gioia (D-Sunnyside), who held a news conference Friday at the Sunnyside arch to mark the anniversary. “A blackout even for a day could push [businesses] over the edge.”
The councilman, who was joined by state Assemblyman Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria), Council candidate Deirdre Feerick and community leaders and residents, said Con Ed continues to lag behind in bringing its technology into the 21st century. Despite charging 18.07 cents per kilowatt hour, the elected officials said, Con Ed has not replaced its older technology or cast iron pipes used to transmit electricity.
Last Thursday, the state’s Public Service Commission fined Con Ed $5 million for failing to adequately repair power outages, like the one that left 582 Queens customers without electricity June 10.
“Con Ed is a thorough, unaccountable monopoly,” Gianaris said.
Con Ed spokesman Chris Olert said the utility has invested $4.6 billion over the last three years and is continually working to bring more improvements to its system. He did not comment on the PSC fine.
“We have implemented an enhanced outage tracking system, and also have made significant improvements in the way we operate, communicate and implant procedures during an emergency,” he said.
Alyssa Bonilla, executive director of the Sunnyside Business Improvement District, criticized Con Ed for not doing enough for the western Queens businesses that suffered during the power outages. The city offered to reimburse affected businesses for $7,000 in damages and merchants were offered small interest loans of up to $10,000, but that still was not enough for an adequate recovery, according to Bonilla.
“The reimbursement that was given to merchants was limited and it doesn’t come anywhere near their losses,” she said.
Gioia said the utility could save consumers roughly 10 percent on their bills if the utility implemented its Smart Grid technology citywide. The system, currently being operated by Con Ed as a pilot program in Westchester, tracks electricity usage by each individual house, giving the utility and customers a better sense of where excess electricity is being used, according to the councilman.
“Smart Grid technology allows you to spot problems that are isolated before it becomes exaggerated,” he said.
Olert said Con Ed is dedicated to bringing the system to the city in the near future.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
