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LIPA: RESTORATION OUTRAGE – As They Send Out Bills
Governor: LIPA Failed, Was Unprepared
Andrew Cuomo says the utilities, especially its leaders, need to be revamped.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday had a few harsh words for the power authorities: You failed.
Cuomo, in a press briefing, called the Long Island Power Authority and other New York power utilities in general “archaic” and “unprepared” for the lashing Hurricane Sandy and winter storm Athena gave the Long Island and New York metropolitan area.
“This is a 1950s system with these utilities that are regulated by the the state, but they are bureaucracies that are in many ways a monopoly,” Cuomo said, adding that “it’s a system that just doesn’t work for New York in an emergency crisis situation.”
Mr.Gates
November 10th, 2012
An aside from this: New York State and LIPA have been spending our tax dollars substantially subsidizing solar electric systems installed on the homes of people with tons of extra expendable income. Effectively Taxing the poor to give Solar PV to the rich.
These Solar PV systems are almost all grid interactive and have zero battery backup capability. When the grid is down, the solar panels don’t work. So people with enough solar power to supply 100% of their own electrical power needs (costs $50,000.) are all in the dark too!!
But they are so cool.
Edith McCrotch
November 10th, 2012
Bureaucratic Monopolies?
That ought to be worth a guffaw listening to state bureaucrats trying to communicate with a bureaucratic unionized monopoly.
Gracie
November 10th, 2012
It’s true that LIPA has done a crappy job. But this is the perfect way for the gov’t to take over the state run operation. It’s all part of the plan.
Buffalobob
November 10th, 2012
Cuomo, divert attention, blame the Electric Co. or someone else. In the mean time Gov. Cuomo’s fired his Emergency $153,000-a-year emergency management director for diverting a crew to remove a tree from his Long Island home’s driveway after Superstorm Sandy hit. What form of leadership would cultivate this culture of corruption?
John Cooper
November 10th, 2012
Were these the same Long Islanders who voted to abandon the completed Shorham Nuclear Power Plant in 1989? I say “let them freeze in the dark”.
annie p
November 10th, 2012
Maybe if these damn democrats would let in non-union linemen and the gun-toting National Guards, the repair would have been done already. Screw them all. They elected these idiots; deal.
serfer62
November 10th, 2012
“…that are in many ways a monopoly,” Cuomo said, adding that “it’s a system that just doesn’t work for New York in an emergency crisis situation.”
Yeah, and how long have they known this?
webby h
November 10th, 2012
you do realize that, “in general “archaic” and “unprepared”” is really CODE for MORE massive govt regulation and
oversightkickback payments?cas
November 10th, 2012
He criticized the power company for not having enough poles to replace the ones lost in the storm, proving he has not even a rudimentary grasp of how businesses operate. Well, here’s an inventory control idea for you New York – Last Cuomo in, first Cuomo out.
cas
November 10th, 2012
Accounting, not inventory. Stupid enter key.
deli doug
November 10th, 2012
“Long Islanders who voted to abandon the completed Shorham Nuclear Power Plant in 1989″
WTF… will just over here keyword searchin
Tom McCommick
November 10th, 2012
No question Jim LIPA must go!
Czar of Defenestration
November 10th, 2012
LIPAsuction…*what*…nobody thought of this before?!
Wassamaddawidya??
Maudie N Mandeville
November 10th, 2012
Wait, when Katrina hit, it was Bush’s fault. But it’s not the mayor’s or the governor’s, much less Obama’s, now? And I don’t recall the marines flying in on helicopters to help shovel muck and debris. Is this our new military. Can gays and women rise to this challenge? Will affirmative action promotions (gay, lesbian, black) successfully lead our troops into battle with their shovels and deadly chain saws? Where is the NY and NJ vaunted National Guard? Where is the promised Obama civilian volunteer army of roadside trash monitors and community organizers?
Seems government sucks when you most need them, doesn’t it liberals? But who cares, Cuomo is pissed. Cuomo 2016!
Mad Dog
November 10th, 2012
I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m tired of our elected officials doing nothing for us. They knew lipa was a mess they fired front line managers, they let go of workers who would cut down trees,as pre emptive for storm damage. Their leadership sucks!!!!!! All to make a buck for their stock holders.It starts from the top our gov’t does not fight for us why should they care they get re- elected and they know it. How come NObama didn’t get blamed for this like Bush did in Katrina. Why doesn’t the media report whats really going on, they don’t because they wanted NObama to win its all a scam,and I tell who looses us the little people. In today’s day in age no one should have no heat or electric for almost 2 wks.
kevin in troy
November 10th, 2012
“Is this our new military. Can gays and women rise to this challenge?”
ima gonna say they’re all about tolerance, diversity, and global warming
that oughtta work out just fine up agin teh Superfun Rockband 7th Century pedophiles
RealLongIslander
November 11th, 2012
So many of the comments here are just inaccurate. LIPA is already a state authority so the state cant be trying to take it over. There are no shareholders. A state authority is a not for profit – all fees are paid by ratepayers. Long Islanders never voted to close Shoreham, the former Gov Cuomo backed the plant down due to lack of an evacuation plan in case of a disaster. And dont just blame father Cuomo, the Shoreham plant concept began in the early 1960′s and took 25 plus years to get through permiting and construction. You would think someone would have realized during that time that Long Island being an island had an evacuation problem. LIPA is not unionized. The linemen and plant operators are and they work for LIPA’s subcontractor National Grid and of Jan 2014 they will be PSEG. LIPA workers are NYS employees. These are facts. And Maudie, you are just a bigot looking for any platform to spread your poisonous thinking.