Pole Replacement Is Coming

PSEG-Long Island will start work next month on electrical systems throughout East Hampton, an effort to strengthen the reliability and resilience of the electrical grid under a program developed after Superstorm Sandy severely impacted parts of Long Island.

According to a PSEG spokesman, the work will include replacing wires with more weather-resistant types, installing or replacing switching equipment so that fewer residents would be affected by a service outage in portions of the system, and replacing poles that are considered to be weak.

About 10 to 20 percent of the poles will be replaced, the spokesman said. The new poles will be three to five feet taller and several inches wider than the old ones. Although the utility company had suggested using metal replacement poles for other parts of Long Island, East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell said recently he had been assured that wooden poles would be used. The PSEG spokesman confirmed that to be the plan.

Upgrading various sections of East Hampton’s electrical distribution system will take several months. The entire townwide project is expected to be finished in mid-2019.