As a PSP member shared...
Thanks to everyone who gave advice on how to deal with [my utility company] not responding to an electrical outage caused by neighboring construction damage. It took [my utility company] six days to send a crew out to fix the sliced and mangled cables and about one hour for the crew to fix it. Then as "luck" would have it, the same bulldozer operator mistakenly chomped through the same cables in the exact same location three days later. Yeah. This time [my utility company] showed up same day and fixed the issue, also within an hour. In the end, I have no idea why [my utility company] took so long to respond the first time but then responded same-day for the second occurrence. (If anyone has the inside scoop, please do share!) But here are a few things one can do when feeling helpless in the face of a lethargic utility company.
1) File a complaint with the New York Public Service Commission online or over the phone
"One PSPer explained why this may help move things along: "I think because they need the PSC to approve their rate increases, it always seems to carry a little extra weight."
2) Call Brad Lander (718-499-1090)
I did and they stayed in communication with me about the issue, but I don't know if anything was actually done on their end. A staffer took down all of the details and followed up by phone and email, but by the time they followed up, the power had been restored.
3) Lawyers.
Lawyers for both the construction site and the downstairs liquor store wrote letters to [my utility company]. Again, I have no idea of this had any impact but it's an option for some.
4) Call [your utility company] over and over and over again.
This does nothing but you will have to call one time to let them know about the outage. Each time they will give you an estimated service restoration time, which is always 2 - 5 hours after the time of your call. Hearing this estimate makes you feel better the first and second time you call.
Related reading on PSP:
Bills, bills, bills: Members understand ConEd and Electrical Bills
