Power trip

What a local couple believes to be a power struggle between two utilities has left them in the dark, and has turned what had been a dream come true into a bit of a nightmare.

Ed and Maria Egenlauf completed construction this past year on their new home on Ogden Parma Town Line. Houses on the street are served by Spencerport Electric, a municipal utility run by the Village Of Spencerport. But the Englauf's abode sits 700 feet back from the road, which puts them in a territory served by Rochester Gas and Electric. 

After Spencerport Electric denied R.G.&E.'s request to have the Egenlaufs put on Spencerport's system, R.G.& E proposed that the Egenlaufs pay for a line to be run from R.G.&E's nearest pole about a mile away. The cost: approximately $30,000.

Finding this to be a financial impossibility the family which includes 4 boys ages 5-15, has been living since June in a brand new house with everything they ever wanted --except for electricity.

Find out how their life in the dark has been, by clicking on the video icon to watch our entire story.