LIPA has continued to make headway in restoring power across Long Island, having now brought back electricity to 99 percent of those customers who lost power during Hurricane Sandy and the subsequent Nor’easter who could safely accept power as of 10 a.m. Nov. 13. With restoration efforts nearing completion and having re-established power to more than 1.1 million customers, LIPA continues to work to provide community services to support those who cannot accept power due to flood damage to their homes or businesses.

Coincidentally, LIPA's Chairman Howard Steinberg released a statement on Nov. 13 that he had accepted the resignation of Chief Operating Officer Mike Hervey.

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees I have accepted his resignation, with regret. Mike has provided 12 years of valuable service to LIPA, including taking on the responsibility to perform the functions of CEO of the organization over the past two years. Mike has played a leadership role in connection with the planned structural changes at LIPA going forward which will result in better service and accountability to LIPA’s customers in the years ahead."

LIPA is providing community liaisons to assist residents and business owners during their continuing recovery. Assistance includes answering questions about the power restoration and electrical certification process, accepting electrical inspection certification, and helping to coordinate the process to restore power once the proper documentation is secured.

While approximately 35,000 customers remained in flooded areas and may not be able to accept power until certified safe to do so, the LIPA system is up and running and ready to restore power to these customers once they have completed the necessary repairs and obtained an electric certification.

With thousands of utility crews still on Long Island, LIPA will work quickly to restore any remaining outages outside these flooded areas. LIPA believes they have now addressed the majority of downed electrical wires, and those that remain are likely to be telephone or cable wires. LIPA continues to emphasize that customers should assume all downed wires are live and should stay away from these lines for their safety.