No end in sight for Queens, N.Y., blackout

Livethruthat · #1 07-22-2006, 04:15 PM

No end in sight for Queens, N.Y., blackout
No end in sight for Queens, N.Y., blackout

By VERENA DOBNIK Associated Press Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press

NEW YORK — A blackout in the borough of Queens entered its sixth day Saturday in the hottest week of the summer with the mayor saying chances were small that the problem could be repaired by the end of the weekend.

Some 15,000 to 20,000 customers _ which could be one person or an entire apartment building _ still had no electricity Saturday.

Severe thunderstorms Friday hindered efforts to repair the series of unexplained electrical failures, and knocked out some repaired circuits, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. Con Edison crews also have been finding more and more damage as they inspect underground cables.

"When they've opened these manholes, they've found more damage than they thought they would find," the mayor said at a briefing Saturday.

Power has been out for some residents and businesses since Monday.

A series of heavy-duty circuits supplying an area in northwest Queens failed Monday evening, hours after the state set a record for electricity use. As temperatures rose to 100 degrees, more circuits failed Tuesday. The same happened Wednesday, even after the heat wave broke and power demand plummeted.

Con Edison hasn't been able to explain why the power distribution system failed.

On Friday, Con Edison revealed that the outage was 10 times larger than it had previously reported. The utility initially said only 2,000 customers were affected, but it provided a new estimate on Friday of 25,000, saying the earlier figure was based only on the number of people who called to complain.

The utility's acknowledgment that more customers were affected drew a furious response from some residents and city leaders.

"Con Edison's behavior has crossed the line from reprehensible to criminal," said Assemblyman Michael Gianaris, who called for an investigation.

Con Edison spokesman Chris Olert said the company would "cooperate with everyone's inquiries."

By VERENA DOBNIK Associated Press Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press

NEW YORK — A blackout in the borough of Queens entered its sixth day Saturday in the hottest week of the summer with the mayor saying chances were small that the problem could be repaired by the end of the weekend.

Some 15,000 to 20,000 customers _ which could be one person or an entire apartment building _ still had no electricity Saturday.

Severe thunderstorms Friday hindered efforts to repair the series of unexplained electrical failures, and knocked out some repaired circuits, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. Con Edison crews also have been finding more and more damage as they inspect underground cables.

"When they've opened these manholes, they've found more damage than they thought they would find," the mayor said at a briefing Saturday.

Power has been out for some residents and businesses since Monday.

A series of heavy-duty circuits supplying an area in northwest Queens failed Monday evening, hours after the state set a record for electricity use. As temperatures rose to 100 degrees, more circuits failed Tuesday. The same happened Wednesday, even after the heat wave broke and power demand plummeted.

Con Edison hasn't been able to explain why the power distribution system failed.

On Friday, Con Edison revealed that the outage was 10 times larger than it had previously reported. The utility initially said only 2,000 customers were affected, but it provided a new estimate on Friday of 25,000, saying the earlier figure was based only on the number of people who called to complain.

The utility's acknowledgment that more customers were affected drew a furious response from some residents and city leaders.

"Con Edison's behavior has crossed the line from reprehensible to criminal," said Assemblyman Michael Gianaris, who called for an investigation.

Con Edison spokesman Chris Olert said the company would "cooperate with everyone's inquiries."

Wildwoman · #2 07-22-2006, 04:17 PM

vegyrex · #3 07-22-2006, 05:32 PM

This is the first I've heard of this. Not even the network news, at least CBS, made any mention of it.

Wildwoman · #4 07-22-2006, 05:34 PM

I hadn't thought about whether it was national news. It's a big story here, of course. And at least one person at my job lives in the area.

vegyrex · #5 07-22-2006, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildwoman

I hadn't thought about whether it was national news. It's a big story here, of course. And at least one person at my job lives in the area.

Maybe if it was Manhattan it would have made national news.

Six days. Noooo thats too long.

Isn't Shea Stadium in Queens?

Wildwoman · #6 07-22-2006, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegyrex

Maybe if it was Manhattan it would have made national news.

Six days. Noooo thats too long.

Isn't Shea Stadium in Queens?

Yes, although I think not in the affected area.

vegyrex · #7 07-22-2006, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildwoman

Yes, although I think not in the affected area.

Lucky for Mets fans

Wildwoman · #8 07-22-2006, 05:43 PM

From the website of the local cable news channel.

http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=61215

Quote:

Top Stories

Day Six: Queens Residents Watch, Wait For Power To Be Restored

July 22, 2006

EMERGENCY CONTACTS
HRA Crisis Center
4522 32nd Place
Long Island City
Dial 1-877-HRA-8411 or 311 for info

Con Edison: 1-800-75-ConEd

Tens of thousands of residents in Queens are frustrated and angry as the power outage entered its sixth day Saturday.

The hardest-hit areas are Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside and Hunter's Point.

City officials say progress is being made in the effort to restore power to Northwest Queens, but admit it's unlikely full service will be back this weekend as predicted yesterday.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg says Con Ed estimates that between 15,000 and 20,000 customers are still without power, but since one electric meter can serve a building with many people, the number of people affected could still be as high as 100,000.

The mayor blames yesterday's weather for slowing down repair efforts.

"It's going to be done when it gets done. The likelihood of getting it done by Sunday is a lot less today than we thought it was yesterday,” said Bloomberg. “Yesterday's storms slowed them down. And if we have similar storms today that will again slow them down, and tomorrow, likewise. So the weather's not been as cooperative as you would like, quite the contrary, it has hurt them."

The utility raised its estimate of customers without power from around 2,000 to 25,000 Friday. Con Ed says the new number is based on block-by-block inspections, while the earlier number was based on the number of outages reported by phone.

Residents say the company dropped the ball.

"When something major happens, and then you see everybody going out with trucks to try to fix it. You see 20 guys in the hole, one of them works and I can't watch it," said one angry resident.

Despite repair efforts by the Department of Transportation around 100 traffic signals are either flashing or completely out around Queens, adding to many residents' frustration.

"We are in the year 2006, how could this have happened? One manhole after another? Come on, somebody is not doing their job," said one area resident.

"After the storm, around 6 o' clock we have even less,” added another. “We had a little bit of power but just a few lights, and after the storm, now we have nothing."

"I want to say thank you to all the crewmen, they are working very hard, you know and doing the right thing,” added a more sympathetic Queens resident.

DOT says it has set up at least 60 temporary stop signs, and will keep dispatching traffic agents to intersections where they are most needed.

The city has increased garbage collection in the affected areas to deal with the tons of spoiled food that are being thrown out.

Meanwhile, Queens politicians want answers about why the power failed and why it's taking so long to get everyone back online.

Queens Assemblyman Michael Gianaris is calling for a criminal investigation into Con Ed's handling of the power outage.

Appearing on Friday night's "Inside City Hall" on NY1, Gianaris says Con Ed should have been honest about the scope of the problem from the beginning.

"They acted recklessly by releasing numbers the knew were false, and people's health was put at risk," said Ginaris. "We had diabetics who couldn't keep their insulin in the refrigerator. We had seniors in highrises who couldn't get food and water."

"I can't tell you how angry I am at Con Ed. When the lights went out, that was just the tip of the iceberg," said Councilman Eric Gioia. "Since then, the have deceived the public. They have misled the media, they have misled the mayor, and they have misled us."

Both Gianaris and Gioia defended the mayor saying the city's response would have been quicker if Con Ed hadn't kept him in the dark.

In the meantime, borough president Helen Marshall announced special State Assembly hearings on the blackout will be held next week at Queens Borough Hall.

Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez is calling on Governor George Pataki declare the affected neighborhoods a disaster area so that residents and business owners would be eligible for state aid.

Residents without power are advised to call 311 to find out what services the city is offering, which includes extended hours for senior centers, more police patrols and a special emergency medical trailer on Steinway Street.

As residents and businesses struggle to wait out the outage, they are at least starting to see some services in their neighborhoods. The Red Cross handed out danishes, free fruit, drinks, and water Friday.

The utility set up a distribution unit at Ditmars Boulevard and Steinway Street in Astoria Friday morning to hand out dry ice to those affected by melted and overstressed cables. There are also more police, firefighters and EMS crews on patrol in the affected areas.

The Human Resources Administration has put together a crisis center in Long Island City where they are handing out free food, water and food stamps. Trucks unloaded supplies into the center Thursday night and sent out about 30 cars to affected areas in Queens to deliver supplies to affected residents.

"Our workers are 30 cars deep," said Human Resources Commissioner Verna Eggleston. "We're walking the streets out here, going door to door, stopping in areas, whatever people need. We have food and water in the cars. We'll be available to give out leaflets and information about the multiple centers we have here in Queens."

The center has also coordinated services from the Office of Emergency Management and the Health Department to provide any emergency services necessary. Residents and business owners can also fill out applications for reimbursements for food spoilage at the crisis center.

Those who are unable to make it to the center are invited to call to request delivery. The exact address of the center is 4522 32nd Place, and residents can call either the city's information hotline at 311 or the HRA at 1-877-HRA-8411.

To find out the latest on repairs in your area you can call Con Edison at 1-800-75-ConEd.

Quote:

Elderly Woman Suffering During Queens Blackout Says City Has Neglected Her

The homebound elderly have been hit hardest by this week's blackout in Queens. In the following report, NY1’s Roger Clark has the story of a woman in Astoria who has been hurt by Con Edison and totally forgotten by the city.

Seventy-five-year-old Lydia Shindler is on her own. She has no family here, and she's homebound because she is diabetic and hypoglycemic.

So she says she called for help when the power went out, phoning city agencies for three days. But to Shindler's amazement, the only thing she got was the cold shoulder.

“I called the Police Department, about 10 different agencies, and they said, ‘Oh, there's nothing we can do.’ And that's unbelievable, isn't it?" she says.

Shindler has seen a lot over the years. She's a survivor, literally, having fled Germany as a child just days before her parents were killed by the Nazis. Not having electricity this week has been yet another challenge.

“How can I feel? I just hope it will be fixed very soon," she says.

Shindler is physically unable to walk the 10 blocks to get ice or dry ice so she can keep food in the house.

NY1 was able to get Mrs. Shindler some food Thursday night, and tried to arrange for a delivery of ice and later dry ice from Con Edison to her third-story walkup apartment, ironically located down the block from a power plant. Shindler says she's grateful, and has managed to keep busy.

“[I’m] just cleaning out the mess in the refrigerator, the floor, making a hundred phone calls a day," she says.

And she remains hopeful the lights will come back on.

“My religious faith helps me,” she says. “My religion says look at the bright side of things, and expect good things to happen and they will happen, and I believe that too."

You can't beat an attitude like that.

- Roger Clark

vegyrex · #9 07-22-2006, 05:53 PM

Ugh, spoiled food. About ten years ago the Chicago area was experiencing lots of power outages. Even a breezy day would knock power out. Chicago's mayor was getting really ticked off about it. It was discovered Com ED wasn't investing their profits into replacing old transformers. Many of them were nearly 100 years old. The state of Illinois finally started getting tough with COM ED. Things have been better since then.

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