Long Island utility COO resigns amid outrage

A plea to the Long Island Power Authority for electricity to be restored is posted on a barrier Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, in Mastic Beach, N.Y. / AP Photo

UNIONDALE, N.Y. The chief operating officer of a utility company heavily criticized for its response to Superstorm Sandy is stepping down.

The Long Island Power Authority announced Tuesday that Michael Hervey had tendered his resignation, effective at the end of the year. Hervey has been with LIPA for 12 years.

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Superstorm Sandy: 35,000 without power

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Nor'easter 2012

LIPA has come under withering criticism since Sandy knocked out power to more than a million of its customers on Oct. 29, both for how long it was taking to get power restored and for poor communication with customers.

There are about 10,000 outages in Nassau and Suffolk counties, just east of New York City, and LIPA officials have said they hope to have most of them resolved by Wednesday.

The company said Tuesday that 99 percent of those customers that can safely get power have it restored. But 35,000 customers that suffered significant flood damage need repairs on their properties before power can come back.

The majority of those customers are in the hard-hit Rockaways section of Queens, served by LIPA. The Consolidated Edison utility also had about 4,000 customers in that position, in Brooklyn and Staten Island.

A state report criticized LIPA in June for poor customer communications after last year's Hurricane Irene. The Department of Public Service noted LIPA's major problems in telling customers estimated power restoration times, faulting its computer system, which a consultant had found deficient in 2006.

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LIPA acknowledged that customers weren't getting the information they needed, partly because of the system, which it is updating. Hervey said Monday that LIPA "accelerated that process" after Irene but it's still an 18-month to two-year procedure.

"We would have liked to have had it up and running for now," he said, "but it's just such a large magnitude computer system that it takes that long."

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Pets rescued from superstorm

Hervey said the company would work with customers over the next several weeks as they get their homes repaired.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday announced an investigation into how utility companies prepared for Sandy, which killed more than 100 people in 10 states but hit New York and New Jersey the hardest, and how they handled the aftermath.

"From Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, to Hurricane Sandy, over the past two years New York has experienced some of the worst natural disasters in our state's history," Cuomo said. "As we adjust to the reality of more frequent major weather incidents, we must study and learn from these past experiences to prepare for the future."

[Sydonia56]

Union or right to work state, it should not matter when it comes to a natural disaster? Every helping hand should be accepted with grace and thankfulness. The overpaid arrogant CEO's should be on the front lines with those out there trying to repair lines they could man a food station, take them warm food, hot drinks anything but sit in a comfy home or office, then whine and cry when the people suffering complain and hold them accountable.I live in the midwest in a right to work state, it's just where I was born and raised, (neither for or against unions). A few years ago we were hit by a horrendous ice storm that took out power lines in the entire southeast region of the state. We had linemen from across the US working in the bitter cold 24/7 repairing the lines, and most people were very thankful that they were dedicated enough to come here and help. Everyone should be responsible and be prepared with enough food water blankets etc for a minimum of 3 days before help can get to you, not depend on the governement to magically make things happen, it takes time and there are priorities. I have my house in a box ready, cooking stove, food, water, non perishable items, blankets, lanterns etc I do know that I can take care of me and mine for several days while waiting for those offering that helping hand and will graciously wait patiently while they do their very best to restore the electric. Many thanks to those that leave their homes and families to help those in need.

[cleric77]

How sad, this wealthy CEO, is going to resign...how many millions will he have to live on during his forced retirement? I feel his pain NOT!

[erasmus111]

I can understand being angry, but sometimes there is nothing that can be done about it. It will be just a day after a massive storm and people are already whining. Getting power back after that much damage takes time. And problems will arise. That's LIFE!

Just think about the workers. They are working 24/7, no matter what the weather, to get that power back on.

[erasmus111]

I mean, do people really think that the utility company is doing nothing? That they are sitting on their ass es while people are without heat and light???

I'm sure they are doing the very best that they can. You can't do more than that.

And with people phoning 24/7 b*tching, doesn't help.

[catmomtx]

Louiville, why would you come on here and turn this into a partisian rant? How the heck do you know that the people without electricity and whining are "Liberal" Democrats? How pathetic are you to act as if righteous Republicans accept no assistance, aren't complaining and aren't as pathetic as you think in your own biased fog is limited to Democrats. Get over yourself!

[TrueLyre]

"...Michael Hervey had tendered his resignation, effective at the end of the year." How is it Hervey's entitled to draw the big bucks until the end of year? Is this a case of "LIPA-suction"? Seems his corp. juice should be cut off immediately, certainly no more than two weeks more on a job at which he's been an abject failure, prolonging mysery for thousands.

[RJames55]

Yes snoops realy. Think about it when did you see the reports of trucks and power company workers from other states being turned away on ABC,CBS, NBC, CNN? You did not because it did not happen.

[parisdakar]

NY'ers forever brag about how tough they are, and how they can handle anything, and how people elsewhere in the country must be just coarse rednecks. Not much sympathy.

[jody1641]

LIPA employees turned away help from other states calling them scabs. The union only cared about the union and $$$$ not the people. It's time for New Yorkers to get rid of the power of the unions. How miserable are you?? I'd be pretty angry.

Signed: An ex-Long Islander living very comfortably in a right to work state.

[retiredgustav]

This is an internet LIE. As Mark twain once said, " A lie will travel around the work three times before the truth catches up with it".
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/sandyunion.asp

[Tater-salad]

snopes? really?