PSEGLI Anticipates Henri Could Cause Outages For Up to 10 Days

UNIONDALE, NY — As residents begin to prepare for a potential hurricane making landfall on Long Island this weekend, PSEG Long Island is also trying to gear up for the major weather event.

Tropical Storm Henri is expected to intensify into a category 1 hurricane as it churns closer to Long Island.

The current forecast ranges from 30-35 miles per hour winds in western areas to 50-65 miles per hour on the east end, where the storm is expected to be at its worst.

"Given the potential intensity of the storm, some outages may last up to seven to 10 days," PSEG LI said in a statement.

However, the time frame did not sit well with Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, who called that "unacceptable" in a statement.

"While we are all hoping for the best outcome this weekend, PSEG must call in additional crews who are prepared to respond to our resident’s outages," Curran said.

The utility company, though, is taking necessary precautions to keep blackouts to a minimum.

They are performing system checks and ensuring extra supplies are on hand, including poles and transformers preparing for potential outages.

"We continue to monitor the track of Tropical Storm Henri, "Michael Sullivan, senior director of Transmission & Distribution at PSEG Long Island, said in a statement. "As the storm makes its way up the coast, employees are preparing for the possibility of high winds that can cause flying debris, and bring down trees and power lines."

PSEGLI is also securing more workers for the storm with more than 1,200 line workers, tree trimmers, surveyors and other utility personnel.

Additionally, they are going into Henri with a strengthened electric grid to better withstand extreme weather and allow for faster power restoration, they said in a statement.

Residents can report an outage or downed wire from the PSEGLI 24-hour hotline, 1-800-490-0075. You can also report a loss of power by texting OUT to PSEGLI (773454) or visiting their website.