NYSEG Preparing for Impacts from Hurricane Lee
Companies prepared to deploy resources to bolster efforts in hardest hit areas in Avangrid multi-state networks
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — September 14, 2023 — New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) is preparing for impacts from Hurricane Lee, which is expected to impact portions of the northeast Friday and into the weekend and is prepared to use its resources to help the hardest hit areas in Avangrid's multi-state network.
“Emergency response is one of the most important ways we support our customers and communities,” said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “With operations across multiple states, our Emergency Management department facilitates collaboration among our various teams. Having a multi-state network of resources is a big advantage for us during storm response because it offers flexibility so we can quickly adjust to our situation. Our teams will be ready to move from New York to Maine or Connecticut in the coming days to support response efforts.”
Every Avangrid subsidiary has unique Emergency Response Plans that detail priorities and the actions the company will take to address critical situations in its service areas. This week, Avangrid storm teams have been analyzing the latest forecasts, pre-staging additional line and tree resources, and activating company personnel for their storm roles.
In New York, NYSEG has brought in nearly 100 additional line crews to be housed between its Mechanicville and Brewster divisions beginning this Friday. The company also plans to mobilize two mobile command centers to affected areas so that leadership is on the ground during restoration efforts. If minimal impacts occur, NYSEG will send excess crews to its sister companies to support their efforts.
“Our storm readiness teams are monitoring Hurricane Lee closely and have pre-staged resources including staff, line trucks, and equipment to deploy to our neighboring utilities should they need help.” said Patricia Nilsen, president and CEO of NYSEG. “Our crews will be ready to respond to downed power lines and potential power interruptions caused by this storm.”
Additionally, to combat the impacts of climate change and improve storm resiliency efforts, NYSEG’s proposed rate plan will include the installation of 45,000 new, stronger poles, upgrades to electric wires that are stronger and more durable to withstand tree limbs falling on them, and installation of automatic sectionalization devices and circuit tie points so that if a circuit fails, power can be routed from the other direction and restored quickly in that area to upgrade aging infrastructure to meet the increasing electricity demand while maintaining reliability for our customers with the state’s increasingly severe storm threats.
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Media Contact:
Shelby Cohen
Shelby.cohen@avangrid.com
607.788.6785