The Long Island Power Authority will provide a $25 per day credit to customers for extended power outages, as well as reimbursement for spoiled food and medication.
The measure is in response to outages from storms over the last few years, especially Tropical Storm Isaias in 2020, when over 400,000 customers spent days without power.
How to apply
- The LIPA board’s approval of the measure will allow customers who lose power for three days or more to eventually apply for reimbursement. At least 20,000 customers would also need to be affected to become eligible.
- Customers will also be able to seek up to $235 for spoiled food and medication. That amount could double if a customer provides an itemized list of ruined drugs.
- Reimbursements would not be made if LIPA deems the outage is beyond the reasonable control of its contracted service company, PSEG Long Island.
- The measure is a tariff amendment included in LIPA's $4.14 billion budget for 2023, which was also approved Wednesday. The current budget is $3.85 billion. A system has not yet been set up for the reimbursement process.
- Property damage claims can already be made through PSEG Long Island.
