It’s Time the State Lowers the Curtain on Con Edison
It’s so predictable. The forecast for a major storm becomes apparent three, four, five days in advance with the potential for widespread power outages.
The event comes and goes, leaving tens, if not hundreds of thousands of residents in the dark, and then Con Edison moves into action – in slow motion.
That’s exactly what happened two weeks ago with Tropical Storm Isaias.
No one is blaming Con Edison for the loss of power in Westchester following severe weather events. Rather, it’s the failure to mobilize most crews ahead of time. But that will cost the utility money. It’s almost as if they hope that the weather forecasts are somehow wrong.
But this isn’t 100 years ago, or even 50 years ago, when the likelihood of a weather forecasts was less reliable. Although not a perfect science, the forecasts involving Irene, Sandy, Quinn, Riley and now Isaias accurately predicted a significant level of damage.
Then, once the power is out, good luck getting a straight answer – or any answer at all.
Last week, Con Edison was socked with $9.5 million in fines by the Public Service Commission for non-performance for Quinn and Riley. The same mistakes and indifference occur.
Con Edison deserves to be penalized this time around. Not just money, but with a revocation of its license to operate in New York State.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
