Jennifer Washburn says she hears two loud bangs from LIPA equipment and then her area of Levittown loses power.
Newsday photo by Gwen Young
My neighbors and I have a problem with our LIPA service. Fifty-one customers on the east side of Ring Lane, the west side of Saddle Lane and the north side of Prairie Lane in Levittown experience frequent power outages due to LIPA’s defective equipment. It happens day or night throughout the year. I estimate we have lost power over 22 times since moving here in 2000. I have called and written to LIPA with no assistance or reply. It is frustrating because our neighbors across the street have power when we do not. We pay the same rates and should have the same service. We’ve ruined dinners because we’ve lost power while cooking, and I’ve lost income because I work from home and can’t access the Internet when we lose electricity. A major concern is that I have a bone disease and am afraid of falling or tripping over a pet when the power cuts off.
— Jennifer Washburn, Levittown
Within the next few weeks, after Long Island Power Authority crews have completed storm and heat-related work, someone will be sent to Washburn’s area to troubleshoot the problem, spokeswoman Elizabeth Flagler said.
In the past 12 months, the cluster of homes mentioned in Washburn’s e-mail has had five power failures, three caused by trees, and nine “momentary outages,” Flagler said, “so it’s not like an abundance of outages.” She was unable to immediately provide comparison figures for other areas on Long Island.
“We will have to go to each backyard to see if there’s something causing a problem at this address,” she said.
