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Con Edison started placing the underground lines under Birchwood Lane and Richard Terrace in Hartsdale, where 15 residences have opted to take part in the test, Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner announced on Saturday, Oct. 14.
The work commenced following a Town Board work session attended by several residents impacted by the pilot program, Feiner said, adding that construction will continue until April 2024.
"The program aims to provide more reliable service to customers in neighborhoods most prone to outages, as determined by engineering and data analysis," Feiner explained. According to him, the Birchwood Lane area, which is very dense with trees, has experienced 34 hours of outages in seven events since 2017, affecting 59 customers.
The project will involve top and second-tier lines being trenched into the roadway, allowing Con Edison to shorten several utility poles where the wires would usually be installed. Customers with favorable conditions will also be able to have their homes' individual connections put underground.
The experiment will also necessitate the installation of several transformers and junction boxes on certain lawns throughout the neighborhood. These would be dangerous to come into contact with, so they will be covered with strategic landscaping, Feiner said.
"The work will greatly reduce chances of outages from what are largely tree-related problems resulting from heavy rain, wind, and storms," Feiner said of the project, continuing, "I'm very excited about this initiative."
Con Edison will be paying for all expenses relating to the project, according to Feiner.
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