Tell Us: Replace LIPA with Private Company?

George January 8, 2013 at 05:40 pm

I beleive that if it would have been profitable for private industry it wouldn't have had to be state contolled, similiar to the MTA. Honestly, with the way the state oversaw LILCO and LIPA they have completley ruined it for private investment, and who would be responsible for the Shoreham mess?

Jason Molinet (Editor) January 8, 2013 at 06:07 pm

@George Fair points. So how do you fix it?

Barry Nisman January 8, 2013 at 06:34 pm

My comment was not to endorse a private company; I agree with some other voices regarding the risks; increased rates notwithstanding others. But I believe the Governor's authority, and the assurances he gave us during the horrific handling of the emergency, suggested that he would put into effect either a means of bidding out this utility to a more responsible company, or by receiving assurances of compliance that would include preparation, communication, upgrading software to state of the art, and so on. I don't know the modus operandi of finding another company to make these assurances, or what penalties are to befall Nat'l Grid/LIPA for failure to comply, but clearly virtually every community on Long Island has 1000 stories to tell of how impaired, in a prolonged manner, they were during this storm, and, almost more importantly, how often we lose power for much lesser weather events.

Barry Nisman January 8, 2013 at 06:39 pm

You raise a couple of salient points, but if I may, I'd like to seize upon the Governor. As we languished in the library for 2 weeks, quite a few of us were investigating the situation. Clearly, the Governor was complicit in negligently 'allowing' LIPA to perform so poorly. Thus, George's point about LILCO/LIPA demands recommendations and assurances that the utility will truly serve our counties, and that the State will competently oversee that this will occur. And, will render penalties if poor service continues.

Joe Dowd (Editor) January 8, 2013 at 08:00 pm

I'm not a technical guy, so this question might seem lame: But I wonder what's the best option for seeing our power lines, or some of our key ones, buried underground? Private company or public? Because without that, it seems no company can really address the long-term problem. Can some of you weigh in on this? jd.

JOE January 8, 2013 at 10:32 pm

What we need is a federal infrastructure program that will addressthis problem that exists on long Island and in New york city. Our infrastructure has been ignored for decades while it has become old, out of date, and incapable of handling todays demands . Only then will a company or agency be able to maintain our power supply at acceptable level. this is not in defense of LIPA as they had and still probably have an incompetent management team .

Barry Nisman January 8, 2013 at 10:39 pm

Joe, like most of our ills, it is broader than a company, or a location, so you are so correct. But as Long Islanders, we know that LIPA has been extraordinarily inept from what they had the power to avoid or mitigate.....the report I read was millions of dollars not spent that they were instructed to spend, on tree pruning, updating software, I heard that workers from other states couldn't believe they were using a paper map on the hood of a truck to find places, rather than GPS technology...or that they would wait and wait to get assignments that other technology would triage in updated fashion. Having said that, and I am furious with LIPA as my 15 years out here have been delightful, except for when a snow fall comes, or a heavy rain, our particular area in Plainview, behind John's Farms, goes down all the time....the side of the street closer to Old Country Road is on most of the time.....but behind that, going into Old Bethpage, well, that's why I said a fat pigeon could put us out for 2 days...Our infrastructure tho on many levels has to be 21st century, agreed.....and how we are rebuilding from Sandy is of great concern; things are going up that might be back up for 2 or 3 years, and down again.....frightening propositions....

Jaime Sumersille (Editor) January 8, 2013 at 10:44 pm

Underground wiring is what a south shore Response Taskforce is suggesting LIPA focuses on. However, they do not support privatizing LIPA.
Jaime Sumersille Regional Editor, Nassau County

Jacksonian Democrat January 9, 2013 at 01:58 pm

Privatizing is foolish and dangerous. 90% of LIPA's operations are already private. Due to the quasi public/private system we still have the ability to look into the operations and determine how it functions. If top management became private as well, we'd lose all oversight and investigative powers.

Jacksonian Democrat January 9, 2013 at 02:03 pm

Also, when last I checked, Con Edison was a private company. How is that working for NYC and Westchester residents?