Long Island’s Electric Grid Modernization Demands Professional Surveys Before Property Owners Sign Utility Easement Agreements

Long Island’s electric infrastructure is undergoing a massive transformation. PSEG Long Island is investing heavily in grid modernization initiatives, including strengthening distribution lines with stronger poles, thicker wire and other modern equipment. The company recently secured a five-year extension to continue operating the electric grid on Long Island and in the Rockaways through 2030, ensuring these modernization efforts will continue for years to come.

However, this modernization comes with significant implications for property owners. An easement is required for all PSEG Long Island equipment and facilities installed on private property, and understanding exactly what you’re agreeing to requires professional expertise that only a qualified surveyor can provide.

The Critical Role of Professional Surveys in Easement Agreements

It is the responsibility of the project applicant to prepare the easement documents and present them to PSEG Long Island for review and approval, with the applicant determining property ownership plus associated encumbrances and obtaining required survey information that needs to be identified in the easement. This process is far more complex than most property owners realize.

PSEG Long Island specifically requires a survey map depicting the easement area by a licensed surveyor for the cable and transformer and/or any LIPA electric facilities location, with two original copies signed and sealed. This isn’t just bureaucratic red tape—it’s essential legal protection for your property rights.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Easements can restrict how you use or develop that portion of your land, and if there’s a utility easement, you may not be able to build structures or plant trees over those utility lines. If there’s a utility easement running through your planned construction area, you’re looking at major redesigns, delays, and additional costs, as utility easements typically prohibit any building, structure, or physical obstruction including trees and shrubbery.

Why Island Wide Land Surveyors Is Your Best Defense

With over five decades of service in Nassau & Suffolk County, NY, Island Wide Land Surveyors brings exceptional expertise in land surveying, with their commitment to professionalism, reliability, and rapid response setting them apart. Being local experts, they take pride in their thorough grasp of Long Island’s terrain, with rates that consistently undercut those of their competitors, along with quicker turnaround times.

This local expertise is invaluable when dealing with PSEG Long Island’s modernization projects. Most transmission poles and towers in PSEG’s service territory are located within rights-of-way on Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) easements and LIPA-owned land, creating a complex web of existing utility rights that intersect with private property boundaries.

When you need a Property surveyor Long Island, Island Wide Land Surveyors provides the precise documentation required for utility easement agreements. Their boundary surveys establish property lines, confirm accurate property corners as described in a deed, reveal easements, encroachments, and adherence to state or local regulations.

The Hidden Costs of Skipping Professional Surveys

Smart property owners use surveys proactively rather than reactively, as getting a survey before problems arise costs far less than dealing with boundary disputes, construction delays, or legal issues later. This is particularly crucial given Long Island’s property values—with median home prices reaching $595,000 and investments this significant, professional boundary surveys aren’t optional—they’re essential protection.

Consider the real-world implications: if you want to build an addition to your Huntington home and have the permits, contractor, and budget, but there’s a utility easement running through your planned construction area, you’re looking at major redesigns, delays, and additional costs. Without a proper survey identifying these easements beforehand, you could find yourself facing expensive surprises mid-project.

PSEG Long Island’s Specific Requirements

The utility company’s easement process is detailed and unforgiving. PSEG Long Island will review the documentation and request revision where required, and it is important that responses are timely to avoid delays. No field work can be performed by PSEG Long Island until the easement is executed and filed, making accuracy critical from the start.

The company requires a legal written description by a licensed surveyor, such as metes and bounds of the easement area, with two original copies signed and sealed. This level of precision requires professional expertise that goes far beyond basic property knowledge.

The Broader Grid Modernization Context

PSEG Long Island’s tree trimming program works year-round to identify and trim tree limbs in rights of way and along easements that could potentially cause outages, with more than 118,000 hazardous trees and/or large limbs removed along the distribution and transmission system since 2014. This ongoing maintenance affects property owners with utility easements, making it essential to understand your rights and obligations.

The utility has secured substantial storm hardening improvements including flood mitigation, stronger infrastructure, and smarter transmission & distribution equipment, all of which may require new easements or modifications to existing ones.

Your Next Steps

Island Wide Land Surveyors is your trusted partner for precise and reliable land surveying services in both Nassau and Suffolk Counties, helping you navigate your property projects with confidence, whether you’re in the bustling neighborhoods of Nassau or the tranquil towns of Suffolk County.

Before signing any utility easement agreement related to Long Island’s grid modernization, protect your investment with a professional survey. Professional surveys highlight key features like slopes, easements, setbacks, and underground utilities—essential information for foundations and excavation, helping avoid costly corrections or delays mid-project by identifying where you can legally and safely build.

Don’t let Long Island’s electric grid modernization catch you unprepared. The combination of PSEG Long Island’s extensive infrastructure improvements and your property’s long-term value demands nothing less than professional survey expertise to protect your rights and investment.