Thursday, November 23, 2023

Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Protect Consumers From Power Outages and Other Emergencies During Storms

 

Legislation S.7230/A.237 Allows Individuals to Report Downed Power Lines to Utility Companies 


Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation S.7230/A.237 which aims to protect consumers during storms and other emergencies by requiring utility companies to develop plans to prioritize responding to reports of downed wires. If a member of the public identifies a downed wire that presents a hazard, they now can report that wire to their utility, which must respond to no later than seventy-two hours after the response to an emergency ends.

"A downed power line isn't just an inconvenience -- it poses significant safety risks to New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “Consumers should be able to report downed power lines to their utility company, and we're making sure that happens in the safest, fastest possible way."

Previously, the power companies only had to have a plan to securing a wire on a schedule if the wire was reported by a municipal emergency official.

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