By Hank Russell
Cleanup is still ongoing at the Mill River on East Rockaway after approximately 1,000 gallons of oil leaked into the river from an underwater transmission cable. The cable has since been repaired.
On July 14, the spill came up from a PSEG Long Island utility line, according to a report from News 12. The liquid that discharged from the damaged cable is known as dielectric fluid, which is used to insulate high-voltage wires, as well as capacitors, transformers and switchgear. Dielectric fluid is used because it is a poor conductor of electricity, making it an ideal supporter for electrostatic fields.
PSEG spokesperson Elizabeth Flagler said the utility has finished repairs on the cable, which is located on the southwest corner of Atlantic Avenue and Access Road. “Crews will continue to work around the clock to do clean up and road restoration,” she said in a statement. “The flow of the nonhazardous dielectric fluid has ceased.”
Flagler added that the customers did not lose power when the cable was de-energized for repair.
PSEG is also looking into what caused damage to the cable. “However, we found evidence it may have been third-party damage to the external coating of the cable pipe which resulted in weakening the integrity of the pipe resulting in a failure over time,” Flagler said. “We continue working in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to remediate the remaining nonhazardous fluid.”
Since dielectric fluid’s properties are similar to that of mineral oil, it is not hazardous to humans, but it is to wildlife. There have been reports that five animals — two egrets, two swans and one cormorant — were impacted by the spill. Anyone who sees any wildlife that have been impacted is asked to contact Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown at (631) 979-6344.
Long Island Life & Politics reached out to the DEC about the spill. “DEC is continuing to closely oversee the investigation and cleanup of the dielectric fluid spill in East Rockaway,” the agency said in a statement. “PSEG performed a dye/tracer test on July 16 and identified the location of the leak …. PSEG contractors are currently working on exposing the cable to evaluate the damage and plan for repair.”
LILP also reached out to the Coast Guard, but did not hear back as of press time.
“Good progress has been made over the past few days,” Flagler added.