White Plains CitizeNetReporter - Sayegh Calls Con Ed on Eastchester, New Rochelle Power Outages

WPCNR City Evening Star Reporter. From the Sayegh for Assembly Press Office. July 3, 2002 4:00 PM E.D.T.: Amy Paulin's challenger for the Assembly Seat in the 88th District, Tony Sayegh said today that the state should investigate the high number of power outages that occurred Tuesday.

“A95 degree day is not supposed to knock the power system for a loop,” said Sayegh, noting that he had received reports of several hundred customers in Eastchester and New Rochelle being without power on Tuesday afternoon and evening.

“Unlike power shortages that have affected other parts of the nation, this seems to be a case of Con Ed’s wiring simply being inadequate to handle the load on local streets,” said Sayegh, noting that there were several incidences of wires literally burning up along streets.

“If Con Ed has not been updating wires or replacing wires and components that are past their useful life, the public needs to know that and needs to know why, ” said Sayegh.

Sayegh said he suspected that Con Ed has been cutting back on maintenance of its system in recent years in order to increase company profits, taking unfair advantage of the new deregulated utility climate.

(WPCNR's editor notes that Entergy, Indian Point's operator, has also charged Con Edison with neglectful maintenance of steam generators at Indian Point, resulting in public relations problems for the new owners of the plant. The Mayor's Office in White Plains also reported some power outages in White Plains due to the extreme heat Wednesday, but there were no mention of burning up wires.)

“When you have wires burning up along the streets, not only are people without power, but pedestrians and motorists could literally have their lives at risk, “ said Sayegh.

Sayegh said the Public Service Commission should investigate the state of Con Ed’s system in Westchester.

“We know the temperature will hit the high nineties during most summers,” he concluded, “The electrical system should be prepared to handle it. But clearly Con Ed is not.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 3, 2002 CONTACT: Tony Sayegh (914) 924-2578 SAYEGH SAYS CON ED POWER OUTAGES NEED INVESTIGATION (New Rochelle) -- 88TH District Assembly candidate Tony Sayegh said today that the State should investigate the high number of power outages that occurred Tuesday. “A95 degree day is not supposed to knock the power system for a loop,” said Sayegh, noting that he had received reports of several hundred customers in Eastchester and New Rochelle being without power on Tuesday afternoon and evening. “Unlike power shortages that have affected other parts of the nation, this seems to be a case of Con Ed’s wiring simply being inadequate to handle the load on local streets,” said Sayegh, noting that there were several incidences of wires literally burning up along streets. “If Con Ed has not been updating wires or replacing wires and components that are past their useful life, the public needs to know that and needs to know why, ”said Sayegh. Sayegh said he suspected that Con Ed has been cutting back on maintenance of its system in recent years in order to increase company profits, taking unfair advantage of the new deregulated utility climate. “When you have wires burning up along the streets, not only are people without power, but pedestrians and motorists could literally have their lives at risk, “ said Sayegh. Sayegh said the Public Service Commission should investigate the state of Con Ed’s system in Westchester. “We know the temperature will hit the high nineties during most summers,” he concluded, “The electrical system should be prepared to handle it. But clearly Con Ed is not.”


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