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Battle to restore power to Sandy's victims

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  • Description

    Con Ed spokesman explains challenge

  • Duration 4:54
  • Date

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-- also as we have been reporting throughout the morning.

There are millions.

Of people without power and that stretch is really from Virginia all the -- north to New England.

Trees and power lines are literally down crashed into parts of houses and on top of cars in so many places.

Could be some time really where people begin to sort of get back to normal in these areas so.

We're glad to have on the phone this morning for you Allen Drury who is a spokesman for con Edison and the utility company that is serving much of York city.

And the surrounding areas Allan good morning.

Be you know where to begin.

-- -- -- patty began to explain what the damages first and then what we do about it second if you cut.

-- did a good way to put in perspective how severe the images is that we currently have about 729000.

Customers.

Out of service in New York City and Westchester County.

Previous record.

Was about 203000.

Wow by -- I mean last summer summer 2011.

So we not only double lack.

We not only triple that we went past Tripoli.

What what can -- -- begin to start to restore power and to get to have folks back in their homes.

Well we need to assess damage.

We really have.

To our wars that we have to fight isn't so to speak -- already areas we have.

Trees -- -- only -- lines and transformers and utility poles and a lot of the streets.

-- blocked either by -- Or by the -- themselves so we have to get into those areas clear the streets get into those areas.

Into.

Make restoration there and then in the underground areas such as -- and restoring electrical service there means clearly out all components of the sea -- trying in testing.

And make it safe to restore power so it's safe -- long.

Process and we're gonna ask our customers to be patient -- as we understand it's frustrating to be without power.

And that's why we're working aside as we tend to get everybody restore.

Way you know I remember last time around with I mean as you mention which was 200 some 1009 you're talking 700000.

Customers.

And that time it took in some cases.

I think the worst stories I heard -- about.

Close to two weeks.

So -- you how long do you think it will be this time.

We don't have a firm all right TR as we call an estimated timer restoration yet.

Operates clearly a multi day effort and as we get that information we will.

Reported to our customers through the news media and through our own web site.

But we we do have to ask our customers to be patient and to be assured that we're working as -- as we can around the clock.

What you may do I mean I'm in the last time people calling and you know you just you don't get an answer on the phone and that sort of -- to people's frustration and -- and their tension levels out there.

The most important thing is to keep -- -- and be safe.

There's going to be a lot of downed wires out on the streets very important to stay away from them don't assume that there.

He can't to try to move -- any object is if you still don't have power -- devices.

So that if you do lose power you'll have your cellphone in your Blackberry -- laptop and any -- mobile.

Devices.

Are charged up no way to flashlights -- Make sure the batteries work if you still have power people indications -- You know -- in terms of the weather.

And it was when the surprisingly warm out when I walked out this morning to check out what was going on around me and ate it it is that gonna change anytime cinemanow -- it will what's the outlook for what people will be.

-- west and their homes if if he becomes an issue.

Why did we expect to start to lock -- throughout the day the issue in the overhead theories is that you could still have.

Further outages because you have trees that have been compromised by the wind that's that it for the last 2448 hours.

There about topple him and as the winds continue.

Don't Koppel and some may get -- lines and transformers -- holes into.

Without -- -- is still in areas like another storm is is weakening it may not be -- what has yet.

-- that is that is a very good -- I think it's a point worth making again because people you know the tree is could still come down a sound just pointed out.

So they have been weakening compromised in many situations.

Flooding.

Will you know -- get -- those root systems in some situations and those trees may still come down so.

I we should encourage right -- on for you know kids especially in and everybody really intend to stay inside this is not a time to go out and you know climb around -- -- and try to -- to see what happened out there.

If you don't have to be out don't be out.

Allan thank you very much and -- at Con Ed where they're gonna have their hands fall.

For some time in their urging people to be as patient as you possibly can with them.

I just imagine that this will take quite some time as they have to clear out the trees before they can begin to figure out when they can rebuild so -- have more on that coming up.

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