Searching for PSEG: Power company silent on backup

A resident who had been in the forefront questioning PSEG’s plans to construct a substation on the Island for backup electricity needs asked the Town Board Tuesday for an explanation of the power company’s silence on the issue.

“What is happening?” Howard Johansen asked. “It’s been four months since we’ve heard from  [PSEG].”

He noted that the Shelter Island Association had sent a letter to the power company requesting information.  “Are they going to respond to questions?” Mr. Johansen asked. “What’s the status of this?”

PSEG dropped a proposal to spend $10 million to build a substation in a residential neighborhood at the Old Highway Barn site on Route 114  after a coordinated and vocal campaign of outrage by residents.

The substation proposal came on the heels of a disastrous attempt by LIPA to drill a cable tunnel under the bay from the North Fork for back up power when the contractor failed to complete the job.

Supervisor Jim Dougherty answered Mr. Johansen by noting that PSEG “encountered very strong NIMBYism” and “they’re hunkering down.” In discussions with the power company, Mr. Dougherty said they’ve told him they’re “rethinking.”

Mr. Dougherty added that his interpretation was that “they feel they were ready to throw $10 million on the table to help enhance Shelter Island’s power demands, which is increasing, and they got their head handed to them.”

“Their grief is because they hired a contractor who couldn’t do the job” constructing the tunnel, Councilman Peter Reich said.

“Their problem would be over now,” Councilman Ed Brown weighed in. “They wouldn’t have the aggravation.”

Mr. Johansen asked if there was something “We could do as a town to have some [power] reliability.”
“I agree with you,” Mr. Dougherty said. “It’s going to comeback to bite us.”