After Tropical Storm Isaias, a group of ratepayers and organizations began campaigning to get the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) to terminate its contract with PSEG-LI and finally end the failed public-private model for our utility. That storm resulted in 645,000 LIPA customers without power for, on average, more than 2-7 days. We know that PSEG lied about its preparedness for the storm, its immediate response to it, and the number of upgrades it made afterwards.

Our vision is that LIPA becomes a publicly owned, not-for-profit electric utility that is locally controlled. Private utilities such as PSEG-LI are eliminated. LIPA is restructured with an elected governing board directly accountable to the ratepayers, has a fairer rate structure, ends shutoffs for low-income customers, invests its revenues locally, and upgrades the grid to make it more reliable, renewable, and resilient.

Over the past two years, we have built a network of supporters through the Reimagine LIPA campaign. We have mobilized ratepayers to speak at LIPA Board meetings, held forums on the benefits of public power, organized rallies, and published pieces in multiple media outlets. Then, in the 2022-23 NYS budget we passed legislation and secured funding for a legislative commission responsible for developing the roadmap to a restructured LIPA.

This commission marks the end of decades of disastrous public private partnerships in the management of our electric utility. Along with $2 million to fund its work, the commission is blazing a path towards a truly public utility.

Our work is to ensure this process leads to a LIPA that is led by and accountable to those most impacted by decisions concerning our energy system on Long Island and in the Rockaways: ratepayers, union workers, municipalities, community organizations, low-income households and environmental justice communities.

We need your support in this fight!