NYSEG and RG&E are sharpening their focus on reducing outages and strengthening the power grid across Upstate New York through their expanded Betterments Program, the companies announced Tuesday.
The initiative empowers staff across the companies’ 17 operational divisions to propose local infrastructure changes aimed at boosting grid reliability, operability, and flexibility. Company leaders say the program complements larger capital projects with tactical fixes that make a major impact.
“Ensuring energy reliability is at the forefront of what we do,” said Robert McDonough, senior manager of regional operations at NYSEG and RG&E. “Customers want uninterrupted power, which is why we prioritize projects through our Betterments Program to reduce the number of outages.”
Since 2023, the companies have invested more than $500 million in major infrastructure upgrades. The Betterments Program builds on that by targeting localized improvements such as relocating poles from wooded areas, reconfiguring circuit loads, enhancing tree trimming practices, and shifting transmission lines for easier maintenance.
To date, NYSEG and RG&E have identified 20 Betterments projects statewide. These include a nearly $2 million circuit upgrade in Mechanicville affecting over 4,800 customers; a $1.4 million circuit relocation in Hornell for nearly 400 customers; and a $1.9 million circuit move in Harpursville benefitting 690 customers. A $1.2 million upgrade in Clarence will impact more than 7,000 customers, while $1.9 million in circuit work and pole replacements in Canandaigua will serve over 1,000 customers.
Submitted proposals are evaluated based on historical outage frequency and benefit-to-cost ratios using metrics like cost-per-customer. The companies say this allows them to prioritize the most effective solutions across their vast service areas.
NYSEG and RG&E together serve nearly four million residents across Upstate New York.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.
