Consolidated Edison has agreed to pay $153 million to settle charges over a 2014 gas explosion in East Harlem that killed eight people and injured about 50.
The settlement was approved on Thursday by the state’s Public Service Commission. The commission had found that Con Ed violated state safety regulations. A gas leak has been reported before the blast.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it’s the highest payment for a gas safety incident in New York State history.
The settlement includes a $25 million fund to benefit Con Ed gas customers. The rest will go toward gas safety education, repairs of leak-prone gas pipes, and explosion-related costs incurred by residents and businesses.
Con Ed spokesman Philip O’Brien said the utility has “launched or expanded many proactive safety measures” since the explosion.
(AP)
One Response
There go our rates!