Statement by Senator George Onorato

Senator George Onorato (D-Queens) today issued the following statement regarding the April 18th decision by the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) to move forward with a prudence investigation into the events resulting in the July, 2006 blackout in Western Queens:

"I am very pleased that the State Public Service Commission yesterday voted unanimously to move ahead with a prudence investigation into Consolidated Edison's actions during last summer's devastating blackout in Western Queens. The PSC has clearly heard and heeded the voices of the hundreds of thousands of Queens residents and business owners whose lives were severely disrupted and who suffered a variety of significant economic losses over the course of the nine days they spent sweltering in the dark.

"I look forward to seeing the conclusions of this investigation, which I hope will offer some new answers for the Consolidated Edison ratepayers affected by the power outage."