NEW YORK — Gov. Andrew Cuomo is putting the state's utility companies on notice, saying on Wednesday he will introduce legislation next year to crack down on Con Edison and other service providers.

The move comes after several severe weather storms in which utilities failed to quickly cleanup and restore power. Cuomo made the announcement on a conference call with reporters where he was joined by state lawmakers representing Long Island who will sponsor the bills in the state legislature. Long Island has suffered from a series of storms that caused extensive damage.

Specifically, Cuomo is calling for:

• Ending the cap on penalties utilities pay when the fail to meet deadlines and quickly restore power. Cuomo says those fees have now become “just a cost of doing business.”
• Ensuring that when a franchise is revoked the power lines and other assets revert back to the ratepayers who bought them in the first place, rather than the shareholders
• Restrictions on the pay of CEOs, particularly when a utility fails to live up to expectations

The legislature is not scheduled to reconvene until January, which is the earliest the bills could be advanced and passed.

In statement, Jamie McShane, a spokesperson for Con Edison, said, “Con Edison works around the clock to provide the safe, reliable electricity our customers expect and deserve, and we are consistently ranked as one of the most reliable utilities in the nation. After every storm we look for ways to improve that service.

We also know that the climate is changing, and New York is experiencing more frequent, damaging storms.”