LIPA preps for potential hurricane hit
by Claude Solnik
Published: August 18, 2009
Tags: emergencies, hurricanes, Long Island Power Authority, National Grid
As the first major hurricane of the season to makes its way across the Atlantic Ocean, the Long Island Power Authority and National Grid on Tuesday touted preparations they have taken in case it hits Long Island.
LIPA said Hurricane Bill has “the potential to strengthen” to a major hurricane off the coast of Bermuda by Saturday morning and possibly hit Long Island by Sunday.
Bill’s winds whipped up to more than 100 miles an hour on a path toward Bermuda. The Atlantic’s hurricane season stretches from June through November.
“It could significantly impact Long Island,” said Mark Gross, a LIPA spokesman. “Right now the model suggests it won’t, but we’ll have a better picture by Friday. We just don’t know yet. We have to let the storm run its track.”
LIPA and National Grid in July conducted their Joint Annual Hurricane Preparedness Drill, monitored by the New York State Office of Emergency Management and the emergency management offices of Nassau and Suffolk counties.
The exercise ran through various drills and scenarios designed to help the energy companies better handle hurricanes by quickly communicating to the public and restoring its system as quickly as possible.
LIPA President and chief Kevin S. Law said the authority’s investment in the electric grid, strengthening the transmission and distribution system, should help “restore our system quickly and as safely as possible in the event of a hurricane.”
LIPA and National Grid begin tracking major storms days before they near Long Island.
And LIPA said it can deploy an automated reporting system that is able to process more than 100,000 customer calls per hour.
Outages also are automatically reported to system operators, who can start restoring power by assigning job tickets to the reported outage.
LIPA also trims trees year-round in order to reduce the likelihood of outages, since fallen tree limbs that come in contact with electric lines account for over 90 percent of all service disruptions, according to LIPA.
Hurricane Bill on August 18 
Following a period of steady intensification, Hurricane Bill is now a Category 4 major hurricane, as defined by the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.

Bill formed on August 12 and became the 2009 season's first hurricane on August 17. For the past few days, the storm has been moving toward the west-northwest, but that is expected to change later this week as it turns more toward the north. After that, its track is uncertain, though National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasters believe the hurricane will pass between Bermuda and the United States.

As of 11 a.m. AST August 19 (0900 UTC August 19), Hurricane Bill was located within 15 nautical miles of 18.0°N 54.9°W, about 460 mi (740 km) east of the Leeward Islands. Maximum sustained winds were near 115 knots (135 mph, 215 km/h), with stronger gusts. Forecasters estimate the storm's minimum barometric pressure at 950 millibars.

Bermuda could be under the most significant threat from Bill, and officials there have been monitoring the storm's progress. Derrick Binns, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing, reported that "We have been following the storm closely since its inception, and today we reviewed our planning and procedures to ensure all are in sync. While we have not as yet issued hurricane warnings, I think it is important to advise residents to check their emergency kits to be sure supplies are adequate." 
 

Bill is expected to spare the United States from any significant impact, but forecasters advise that since the storm is still several days away, nothing is certain. Indeed, residents of Long Island, New York are keeping a close eye on the cyclone's progress. 

Forecasters also warn that Bill could target parts of eastern Canada. Residents of Nova Scotia, mindful of the extensive damage from Hurricane Juan several years prior, are beginning to take precautionary measures. 

Regardless of its exact track, Bill will likely generate rough surf and dangerous rip tides along the coast of the U.S. and Canada. 

Tropical cyclones are known to be unpredictable, so interests in the regions potentially in Bill's path are urged to track the storm's progress over coming days and review emergency plans.