TOWN OF CROGHAN, New York (WWNY) – Soft Maple Reservoir is tucked away deep in the woods of Lewis County – and has never had electrical service.
Now that’s about to change.
Thad Smith has summered at South Maple in the Town of Croghan for more than 40 years, and trying to get power to the area has been like a part-time job.
“I put the first work request in just about 12 years ago now with National Grid to have the power,” Smith told 7 News.
For Smith and about two dozen other residents of the Soft Maple Reservoir getting electricity at their homes has not been a simple process.
“I guess I was naive thinking that, oh yeah you just put some poles up and lines,” Smith said.
Now more than a decade after his first phone call to National Grid, the power company is putting up poles and running lines. National Grid Communications Manager Jared Paventi said that the power company has long desired to provide electricity to the area. The project is pushing forward this summer as National Grid recently acquired the needed rights for putting up poles and overhead lines in the area.
“I’ve inquired and they’ve told me there’s nothing more that I can do, or anybody can do. The work’s in progress, National Grid has all the equipment ordered, and the people lined up, and the supplies. It’s moving, I’m very happy with the way it’s moving right now,” Smith said.
Smith said people in the area are ecstatic about the idea of electricity, but still have a few questions that need to be answered.
“They are very happy, and they want to know when, when, when. And how much it’s going to cost, and what still it’s going to entail,” Smith said.
As for those costs, it’s still a little too early to tell what they will be for each residents as the project is still in its beginning phases and will differ depending on how much wiring and work is needed to get the lines laid.
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