Early this morning LIPA reported that power has been restored to 600,000 customers, leaving 450,000 still in the dark. However, the utility, which has crews working around the clock, expects to have over 700,000 customers restored by late Sunday.
LIPA estimates that 90% of all customers will have their power restored by Nov. 7. This includes homes and business that are safe and stable enough following the damage dealt by Sandy to be connected to power lines.
“At this time, we currently estimate that there are up to 100,000 customers from the most severely flooded areas whose homes and businesses may currently be unable to receive power. LIPA is working with local authorities in these communities to determine whether and when these homes and businesses will be fit to safely receive electric service,” LIPA explained in a statement. LIPA warns customers in severely damaged areas including St. James, Brookville and Port. Jefferson that restoring power could take up to an additional week.
Among the restoration highlights, LIPA lists restoring power to 19 of the island’s 21 hospitals. One of the remaining hospitals is operating on a backup generator, while the other has been evacuated. Both hospitals are in severely flooded areas.
Over 60 percent of the island’s 50 substations have been restored. LIPA calls this a significant step that must take place before power can be restored to local lines.
Power has been restored to the Ronkonkoma and Babylon lines of the Long Island Railroad, and crews are still working on restoring power to the Port Washington line.
“Please be assured, we are working around the clock, seven days a week, to restore service as safely and quickly as the situation allows and we continue to request and receive additional critical support resources, with personnel arriving each day,” reads a statement on the LIPA website.
LIPA has picked up steam in its recovery efforts following sharp words from Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Currently, over 8,000 personnel are working on the restoration effort across Nassau and Suffolk Counties, along with another 3,800 high voltage and tree service crews to expedite the task.
For helpful resources in dealing with Sandy’s aftermath check out our Post-Hurricane Guide.
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