Officials announce plans to switch Palisade Towers to electric after gas leak
The Yonkers Municipal Housing Authority said a new transformer, feeders and electrical panels are all needed. It says the switch to electric services will be in three phases.
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Officials have found a solution to the gas leak at Palisade Towers. - they plan to switch all eight buildings to electric services.
This comes after a gas leak over a month ago that left all of the residents without gas.
News 12 talked to residents in the area who said they're hoping for a solution soon.
The Yonkers Municipal Housing Authority said a new transformer, feeders and electrical panels are all needed. It says the switch to electric services will be in three phases.
In this first phase, it will install electric stoves in all units, then change domestic hot water to electric.
The third phase will be switching heat to electric.
"I can't live like this...I have to spend the majority of my money on outside food because it's difficult to cook in there. You can't really cook a meal on those hot plates," says Jada Wilson, a resident of Palisade Towers.
The Municipal Housing Authority said the hope is to start installing electric stoves in the next few weeks. But it says it could take until the end of the year or early 2025 to install them in all units.
“It's a matter of money and resources as far as getting our union electricians and plumbers and everyone that needs to be on board in there to do the work," says Wilson Kimball, president and CEO of the Yonkers Municipal Housing Authority. "How quickly it goes in one building, it will allow us to create a projection for how quickly it could go in the other seven buildings."
News 12 talked with multiple residents. They all said they're concerned about not having a stove or hot water in time for the holidays.
"You can't cook a meal, a proper meal. Going to be spending a lot more money, again, on outside food," says Wilson.
But officials said there are still obstacles in the way. They're now working to secure funding through grants. The Municipal Housing Authority thinks switching the stoves and hot water will cost $18 million and the heat about $60 million.
"We've left no stone unturned when we've looked for funding sources or revenue to make this happen," says Kimball.
