Residents and businesses will continue receiving electric service from PSEG Long Island under a new five-year contract proposal with the Long Island Power Authority. The renewal would follow a 12-year partnership that has improved reliability, customer satisfaction, and safety across the region, advocates say.
“PSEG is proud to continue its successful partnership with LIPA and provide outstanding electric service on Long Island and in the Rockaways,” said Ralph LaRossa, PSEG president. “Since 2014, we have become the number one overhead electric service provider in New York State in reliability and customer satisfaction.”
The contract requires approval from the New York State comptroller and attorney general. If green lighted, it will run to 2030
Since taking over operations in 2014, PSEG Long Island has reduced the frequency of outages by 35%, outage duration by 21%, and momentary outages by 63%, LaRossa noted. The company has also improved workforce safety by more than 75% and maintained the lowest complaint rate for electric utilities in New York for nine of the past 11 years.
Customer satisfaction has risen as well. PSEG Long Island ranked as the most improved utility in J.D. Power Residential and Business Customer Satisfaction scores nationwide while keeping rate increases among the lowest in the region.
Utility service for the region falls under the Long Island Power Authority, created in 1986 to take over LILCO and prevent the Shoreham nuclear plant from operating. The authority has faced criticism over the hiring of political operatives in top positions and the selection process that led to retaining PSEG.
Local officials have called for LIPA board elections, as originally planned when the authority was authorized by the state legislature to increase accountability and ensure community oversight of utility operations. Many believe Albany Democrats have too much say in Long Island utility matters.