"Unfortunately, that's not possible given the current constraints on gas supply." waiting to be approved for gas service," Bruckner said. "We know how frustrating this situation has been for customers. The PSC said it will review National Grid's reliability planning protocols since this is the start of the cold-weather period, and the pipeline the company has depended on would not have been available this winter even if it had already been approved. "But let's remember, while securing contingency supply solutions will help our customers in the short-term, we still need additional, long-term and firm supplies of natural gas," Bruckner said.Įnvironmental regulators in New York and New Jersey have denied to issue the pipeline permits in part because the pipe could harm the environment. He said the company would expand existing conservation and energy efficiency programs to reduce energy use, which will help create additional capacity to serve these customers. Our goal is to re-connect the majority of these customers within the mid-November timeframe," John Bruckner, president of National Grid New York, said in a statement. "Our objective is to contact all customers outlined in the order by the end of this week.
The governor said the Public Service Commision (PSC) ordered the company to immediately connect gas service to 1,157 residential and business customers. The customers National Grid will now connect were existing customers that had their service turned off for things like renovation or construction, according to local media reports.
National Grid said in May it would not process new applications for gas service in downstate New York until Williams’ $1 billion Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline from Pennsylvania to New York receives the permits it needs to get built. On Friday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said National Grid is facing millions of dollars in penalties for failing to connect existing gas customers as required by law.