Commentary: Oversight of LIPA should continue'

To the editor:

I agree with LIBN that the Citizens Advisory Panel and its director, Gordian Raacke, have done a very valuable service to Long Island in being "watchdogs" over the energy issue ("Oversight, not branding," LIBN, 05-02-03). This kind of oversight should be continued in some form.

As LIBN knows, CAP was formed by the courts because of LILCO mismanagement. When LIPA took over LILCO, CAP continued to perform its watchdog role, first under the court's direction and afterwards through funding from Suffolk County. While Suffolk County has now decided to no longer fund CAP because of fiscal constraints, the services that CAP has provided should continue in some form.

While I have not always agreed with the positions taken by CAP, they have worked with LIPA to help promote alternative technologies and energy conservation that have made LIPA one of the leaders in the nation. Furthermore, with prompting from CAP and the Sustainable Energy Alliance, LIPA is now working with the environmental and civic communities to formulate Long Island's first Energy Master Plan, which will be of tremendous benefit to our energy future.

LIPA is exploring helping CAP remain active and alive in some form or in alternative, funding some kind of oversight mechanism to help keep us on our toes. Citizen oversight, done properly, can benefit both LIPA and its customers and we will do everything we can to promote oversight and involvement, as long as it does not interfere with our ability to provide a reliable supply of electricity at a reasonable cost.

Finally, let me point out that when I was a citizen watchdog, I was not funded by anyone, including LILCO. Most of the things that I did in fighting LILCO and Shoreham were done by me with little or no compensation and certainly no funding from the utility that I opposed. Consumer advocacy then was very different than today, and the fact that CAP and other organizations needs significant funding is something that I recognize and something that we are dedicated to doing for the overall good of Long Island.

Richard Kessel

Chairman, Long Island Power Authority

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