Lights out in North Wantagh

About 75 North Wantagh residents have been experiencing power outages over the past four months due to overgrown trees in the area, according to PSEG Long Island. 

Elizabeth Flagler, a utility spokeswoman, said that residents of Michele Lane, Hunt Road, Colridge Road, Whitebirch Lane and Lynne Road, near the Wantagh-Levittown border, have seen eight power outages since April. “PSEG Long Island is taking steps to improve the reliability of electric service in this area,” she added.

Lori Leistman, 56, who has lived on Whitebirch for more than 50 years, said that she and her neighbors have had problems with power for decades. While the outages have been more frequent in recent months — there have been 14 since January, she said — Leistman recalled that the north side of the street lost electricity while the south side was functional many times when she was a child. 

“We’ve been complaining about this forever,” she said. “We believe it was caused by faulty equipment. [PSEG] told us 60 percent of the outages were tree-related, but we’ve been out when there have been no storms or even wind blowing.”

Area residents have relied on backup generators for electricity. Leistman noted that she has an 85-year-old mother with dementia and pets living with her, and that the outages have been a major cause of concern for her and her neighbors. “You go to work and you don’t know what’s going on at your house,” she said.

Leistman contacted Hempstead Town Councilman Gary Hudes about the problem, and Hudes called PSEG on the residents’ behalf. Leistman also emailed News 12 Long Island, and reports on the subject aired last week. 

Flagler said that PSEG crews were working to fix the electric circuits in the area. Since Aug. 3,vegetation management crews have completed what Flagler described as aggressive tree trimming near all the high- and low-voltage facilities that supply the neighborhood. 

The area was scheduled for tree trimming in September, Flagler noted, but it was undertaken on an expedited schedule.

Vegetation management crews will trim trees near 17 more miles of overhead, high-voltage wires.

PSEG personnel have inspected all of the electrical facilities in the neighborhood, and have identified the work that needs to be done to improve service reliability. Flagler said that 18 sections of old, low-voltage wire will be replaced with new triplex wire. 

In addition, an old transformer will be replaced with a higher-capacity unit. A new transformer will also be added, Flagler said, as well as fuse protectors, and a pole will be replaced.

The service work began on Monday. Flagler said that some brief outages will be required in order for the work to be done safely, but residents will be notified in advance.

Leistman said that she most recently lost power on Monday while the work was being done. She added that she was hopeful that the issue would be resolved soon. 

“All we want is for the problem to go away,” she said, “and we’ll live happily ever after.” 

Julie Mansmann contributed to this story.