PSEG Long Island Launches Work On Oyster Bay Town’s Energy Grid

OYSTER BAY, NY — PSEG Long Island has plans to improve the reliability of the energy grid in the Town of Oyster Bay, as part of a series of system improvements within the Power On program, according to a news release.

Starting in May, contractors from the electric provider will work along about a 3.6-mile stretch of electrical lines in the Oyster Bay area over about four months, officials said.

Some of the storm-hardening improvements will include the replacement of electrical poles with stronger, more durable poles that are capable of withstanding winds up to 135 mph. The new poles will be about the same height as the existent poles, but they will have a stronger base and will be placed no more than five feet from the current pole locations. The removal of old poles will be coordinated with other utilities and municipalities.

In addition to having stronger bases, the poles will have more narrow profiles with shorter cross arms to help wires deflect falling limbs instead of catching them. Electrical wires will also be replaced with more resilient and durable wire.

Deteriorated equipment will be replaced or upgraded where needed, according to PSEG.

The electrical service provider is focused on strengthening the electric lines directly powering customers’ homes and businesses, “making them resilient during storms,” said Peggy Keane, PSEG Long Island’s vice president of Construction and Operations Services.

“This infrastructure improvement project in Oyster Bay is part of our ongoing, multi-year effort to improve electric reliability for our customers,” she added.

During the project crews will be working on the following streets:

• South Street between Elsie Avenue and Berry Hill Road
• Orchard Street between Lexington Avenue and South Street
• Burtis Avenue between South Street and Kellogg Street
• Kellogg Street between Burtis Avenue and Berry Hill Road
• Berry Hill Road between Park Avenue and Ivy Street
• Anstice Street just north of the intersection with Berry Hill Road
• Singworth Street between Berry Hill Road and Oak Hill Drive
• Rear property on the north side of Oak Hill Drive, Park Place, Highwood Road, and Schoolhouse Place between Singworth Street, and just east of Huckleberry Lane
• Rear property on east and south side of Huckleberry Lane
• Rear property on east and south side of Highwood Road between Huckleberry Lane and Sugar Toms Lane
• Sugar Toms Lane between Pine Hollow Road and just east of Ridge Rock Lane

During the work, PSEG will provide cones, flaggers, and signage at the worksites as needed to ensure the traffic moves safely, according to officials. Local governments will be notified in advance about any potential traffic concerns also.

PSEG is asking that customers remain in their homes when crews are working nearby, and if customers speak with our crews or contractors they should practice responsible social distancing by remaining at least six feet away to ensure the health of everyone involved.

The work will be completed under Power On, which is a “new initiative aimed at reducing outages and increasing reliability by strengthening electric distribution lines, targeting vulnerable circuits across Long Island and the Rockaways,” according to the news release. Officials hope it will build upon work under the federally-funded Federal Emergency Management Administration mitigation program by bracing more of the energy infrastructure for storms.

Power On focuses on mainline circuits, which is the backbone of PSEG’s distribution system and feeds the many branch lines powering homes and businesses in individual communities.

For more information about the project, visit https://www.psegliny.com/inthecommunity/currentinitiatives/stormhardeningprojects