Governor Hochul and Senator Gillibrand on July 30th, announced a $405 million grant to enhance the electrical transmission and distribution system across Long Island and the Rockaways. This funding, administered through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMPG), will support critical upgrades and replacements to the Long Island Power Authority’s (LIPA) electrical infrastructure, aimed at mitigating the impacts of future extreme weather events.

“We're investing in a reliable, resilient clean energy grid that can withstand the impacts of extreme weather events,” Governor Hochul said. “Thanks to the Biden administration and our partners in Congress, this funding will make crucial upgrades to improve our electrical grid and help keep the lights on for New Yorkers.”

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “As extreme weather events become more common across New York and the country, we must work to ensure that our electrical infrastructure is reliable and equipped to mitigate hazards. Only a few years ago, we saw the devastating impacts Tropical Storm Isaias had on the Long Island electrical grid, which left over half a million Long Islanders without power. This $405 million in federal funding will bring critical upgrades and replacements to LIPA’s electrical grid and help mitigate the impacts of future extreme weather events. I am proud to deliver this funding and will continue to fight to increase the reliability and resiliency of electrical infrastructure across New York State.”

Senator Chuck Schumer said, “These federal funds are needed on Long Island to ensure that when the storms hit our utility infrastructure is stronger, more hardened, and better protected. In other parts of the country, we have seen what can happen when power providers, particularly those owned exclusively by corporations, hold off on critical upgrades or consider profit as their main objective. Because LIPA is a public authority, the federal government was able to step in here and make a real investment on the Island for energy resiliency, an investment I worked hard to deliver, and one that will benefit so many homeowners, businesses, schools and universities.”

FEMA’s hazard mitigation assistance provides funding to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from future disasters. By investing in mitigation planning, the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage is broken, implementing solutions that safeguard against future events.

The increased funding will enable LIPA to strengthen 166 overhead circuits covering approximately 1,376 miles of its power distribution network, following the damage caused by Tropical Storm Isaias, which left 650,000 customers without power in August 2020. Additionally, the funding will allow LIPA to storm harden an additional 166 overhead three-phase primary circuits. LIPA completed 339 circuits with FEMA mitigation funding after Hurricane Sandy. Between these two grants, LIPA will have storm hardened more than 50 percent of its overhead system since 2020.

Long Island Power Authority Acting Chief Executive Office John Rhodes said, “Our customers want and deserve reliable and resilient electric service. This additional funding will significantly bolster our ongoing efforts to build a stronger power grid and allow us to be better equipped to handle future weather challenges. We thank FEMA, along with all our partners in the federal government, for their continued support.”

Long Island Power Authority Board of Trustees Chair Tracey Edwards said, “The LIPA Board of Trustees is dedicated to delivering clean, reliable, and affordable energy while ensuring the lowest long-term costs for our customers. This substantial federal funding will empower us to undertake essential upgrades to our electrical grid, enhancing its resilience and reliability. We are grateful for FEMA’s support and commend the dedicated LIPA staff for their commitment and work in driving this project forward.”

Key components of the project include:

• Stronger utility poles: Approximately 11,000 utility poles will be replaced with stronger, more resilient poles capable of withstanding hurricane-force winds up to 135 mph. These poles will have a stronger base while maintaining the same height as the existing ones.
• Enhanced electrical wire: 1,281 miles of primary wire will be upgraded to more durable and resilient alternatives.
• Narrow profile crossarms: To prevent damage from falling tree limbs, 29,000 utility crossarms will be replaced with shorter, synthetic versions. These crossarms offer a useful life of 30 years, compared to their wooden counterparts.
• Increased workforce: There will be an increase of approximately 100 electrical line workers over the project’s four-year construction. These additional line workers will assist with power restoration during major weather events and contribute to the local economy.

In total, the project will take five years to be completed.

As a public authority, LIPA is eligible to pursue grant opportunities to help offset the cost of storm recovery and climate resiliency for its customers. Over the past decade, LIPA has secured multiple FEMA grants for storm hardening, including recovery from Superstorm Sandy (2012) and Tropical Storm Isaias (2020). These grants have substantially reduced customer costs by $2.3 billion. Mitigation efforts funded through FEMA have proven effective, with storm-hardened circuits performing 50 percent better compared to unmitigated circuits during extreme weather events.

Long Island Federation of Labor AFL-CIO President John R. Durso said, “Long Island is an island in the Atlantic Ocean on the front lines of climate change. This federal funding is significant for Long Island. Enhancing our electric grid’s reliability and resiliency is vital to delivering stable power and good-paying union jobs for a better and brighter future. We would also like to thank Governor Hochul, Majority Leader Schumer, and Senator Gillibrand for their leadership and support in securing these funds.”

IBEW 1049 Business Manager Pat Guidice said, “This important funding is vital to the continued strengthening of Long Island’s electrical infrastructure, making it more robust against extreme weather we are experiencing. In addition, this will create more jobs for trained professionals so vital for the operation of the Grid while boosting our local economy. IBEW Local 1049 is proud to contribute with skilled union labor, ensuring the work is done safely and efficiently. We thank our leaders for securing this vital investment.”