Having own utility helps Park Ridge get power back quickly
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY NOVEMBER 19, 2012, 8:06 AM
BY TATIANA SCHLOSSBERG
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
PARK RIDGE — The day after superstorm Sandy, while much of Bergen County was sitting in the dark, Park Ridge had turned most of the lights back on. Four days later, the whole town was electrified.
Park Ridge is one of nine municipalities in New Jersey that run their own non-profit electricity companies. Park Ridge purchases its power wholesale in bulk from a few different suppliers, and has already bought its power through 2016, said William Beattie, the Board of Public Works’ director of operations.
While the town does buy some of its electricity from PSE&G or other area suppliers, once PSE&G’s power is transferred to Park Ridge substations, it is owned by the borough, which manages, meters and distributes the power.
That also means that the borough employs its own line workers, who were out in force after Hurricane Sandy. Beattie also brought back two retired lineman for extra help. Beattie himself was also trained as a lineman, and he helped make some repairs as well.
Eighty percent of Park Ridge had power the day after Sandy hit.