ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York has reached a $10.5 million settlement with two upstate utilities over 2018 winter storms that left over 300,000 homes and businesses without power, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday.
Cuomo said it was “beyond unacceptable” that some customers of New York State Electric & Gas Corp. and Rochester Gas & Electric Corp. were without power for as long as a week.
Requests for comment were sent to the utilities.
The state’s Public Service Commission will review and act upon the settlement at a future session.
Cuomo, a Democrat, said NYSEG admitted to 18 violations of its state-approved emergency response plans, while the Rochester utility admitted to three.
The governor says $9 million will come from NYSEG shareholders, and $1.5 million will come from RG&E.
The companies also agreed to hire and maintain employees with training in storm restoration and damage assessment.
The settlement follows a state investigation into the utilities’ responses to storms that hit the mid-Hudson region five days apart in March 2018.
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