Circuit Reliability Upgrades to Begin in Village of the Branch

(UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Feb. 1, 2022) – PSEG Long Island is improving the reliability of the energy grid in Village of the Branch. The storm hardening work on this distribution circuit is part of many system improvements included in the “Power On” program.

“Electric reliability is more important than ever to our customers. That’s why PSEG Long Island continues to strengthen the electric lines that directly power homes and businesses, making them more resilient during storms like the ones we saw in the last two weekends of January,” said Peggy Keane, PSEG Long Island’s vice president of Construction and Operations Services. “This Power On infrastructure improvement project in Village of the Branch is part of our ongoing, multi-year effort to continue to improve electric reliability for our customers.”

Beginning in early February and lasting for approximately one month, PSEG Long Island’s licensed and approved contractors will work along mainline distribution lines in Village of the Branch. To ensure traffic moves safely, PSEG Long Island will provide cones, flaggers and signage at the work sites as needed. Local officials also will be notified in advance regarding any potential traffic concerns.

The storm-hardening improvements include:

• Stronger poles: PSEG Long Island will replace some existing utility poles with stronger, more durable poles that are capable of withstanding winds up to 135 mph. The new poles will be approximately the same height as the existing poles, have a stronger base and will be placed no more than 5 feet from the current pole locations. PSEG Long Island will actively coordinate the removal of old poles with other utilities and municipalities.
• Narrow profiles: To help wires deflect falling limbs instead of catching them, PSEG Long Island will be installing shorter cross arms atop some poles.
• Stronger wire: Current wire will be replaced with more resilient and durable wire.
• Upgrading: PSEG Long Island will upgrade or replace deteriorated equipment as necessary.

Crews will be working on the following streets in Village of the Branch in the Town of Smithtown:

• E Main Street between Bank Avenue and N Country Road (Route 25A)
• N Country Road between E Main Street and River Road
• Singer Lane between E Main Street and Hauppauge Road (Route 111)
• Lawrence Avenue between E Main Street and Percy Street

As part of our physical distancing protocols, PSEG Long Island asks that customers remain in their homes when crews are working nearby. If customers must speak with our crews or contractors, we ask that they practice responsible social distancing and remain at least 6 feet away to ensure the health of everyone involved. For more information about how PSEG Long Island continues to live up to its commitments during the pandemic, please visit www.psegliny.com/covid19.

Since 2014, PSEG Long Island has been strengthening the electric infrastructure that serves its 1.1 million customers. Using funding from FEMA, PSEG Long Island has completed storm hardening and reliability work on more than 900 miles of distribution mainline circuits.

Power On, a five-year program that started in the spring of 2020, continues the work now that the FEMA program has concluded. Since the launch of Power On, more than 59 miles of the most vulnerable distribution mainline circuits on Long Island and in the Rockaways have been storm hardened with stronger poles, thicker wire and other modern equipment.

In 2021, the sections of circuits that are storm hardened saw a 51% reduction in damage leading to outages compared to the rest of the distribution system.

Power On focuses on mainline circuits, the backbone of PSEG Long Island’s distribution system. The mainlines feed the many branch lines that power the homes and businesses in individual communities.

For more project details, visit https://www.psegliny.com/inthecommunity/currentinitiatives/stormhardeningprojects.

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PSEG Long Island operates the Long Island Power Authority’s transmission and distribution system under a long-term contract. PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company.