NEW YORK, NY — Con Edison is investing $1.5 billion this year to fortify its electric delivery systems ahead of the summer heat season. Customers in New York City and Westchester County are also using more energy efficient equipment and renewable power. Energy efficiency and solar projects at homes and businesses are reducing demand on the electric distribution system, helping Con Edison maintain its industry leading reliability, particularly during peak summer months.
The company projects the peak demand for electricity this summer will reach 13,470 megawatts (MW). The all-time peak in Con Edison’s service area was 13,322 MW, set at 5 p.m. on July 19, 2013.
Energy efficiency programs and customer solar installations have helped reduce the growth in peak demand each year. Con Edison expects energy efficiency programs to offset peak demand by about 70 MW this year, and residents and businesses in the company’s service area are using the sun’s power to generate over 150 MW of clean, renewable energy. Con Edison customers in the five boroughs and Westchester have completed more than 14,400 solar installations, with Staten Island leading the way with nearly 4,600 installations.
“We will be continuing major investments in system reliability, including the launch of smart meters that will give customers greater control and information about their energy usage,” said Craig Ivey, president of Con Edison. “In addition, the combination of more clean energy choices and energy efficiency programs continues to benefit our customers, our region, and our environment.”
#SummerReady: $1.5 Billion Invested
Con Edison is #SummerReady, investing $1.5 billion to prepare its underground and overhead electric delivery systems. The upgrades and reinforcements include: 18 network transformer installations and 114 overhead transformers. That equipment carries about 18,500 kilovolt amps (kVA), and could transmit enough electricity to power 3.7 million iPhones or about 5,600 homes.
Additional upgrades and replacements were made to Con Edison’s underground and overhead electric cable systems, including 37 underground feeder sections and 385 overhead power lines. Those 16 miles of cable installations would cover the distance from the southern tip of Manhattan to the northern end of Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. The company is also upgrading 7,500 feet of transmission feeder pipe at a cost of nearly $42 million, and will begin the installation of a new underground transmission line in Queens.
Con Edison also is beginning the roll-out of smart meters, a $1.3 billion program that will give customers more real-time data and information about their energy use. The technology also will allow the company to read meters remotely, automate service turn-ons, and respond to outages more quickly.
#SummerReady: Conserve and Be Cool
Monthly bills are expected to be slightly higher this summer compared to last year due to higher supply and delivery costs. A typical New York City residential customer using 350 kilowatt hours (kWh) per month can expect a 4.2 percent increase from $95.17 in 2016 to $99.15 this year. A typical Westchester residential customer using 500 kWh per month can expect an average increase of 1.4 percent from $125.13 in 2016 to $126.83. A typical New York City business customer using 10,800 kWh and having a peak demand of 31 kW, can expect average monthly summer bills to increase from $2,208 in 2016 to $2,368 this year, or 7.2 percent.
Energy efficiency upgrades and programs can help customers save during the summer. Since 2009, Con Edison has paid more than $300 million to 255,000 customers who have upgraded their lighting, heating and cooling systems, appliances and other equipment. Some of the energy efficiency programs include:
Smart Thermostat – Customers who cool homes and small businesses with central air conditioning can enroll their Wi-Fi enabled smart thermostats and get a rebate of up to $110. Smart thermostats give customers the ability to set cooling schedules and control the temperature of their home remotely – from a phone, computer or tablet.
Smart AC/Room AC – Customers can also make room AC smart by signing up to receive a free smart AC kit that enables remote monitoring and control for those units. Each customer will also receive rewards for participating in the program. Customers can also enroll their eligible Wi-Fi enabled room air conditioner and can earn incentives and rewards for participation.
Mini Split – For customers who want to upgrade cooling without the hassle of installing ductwork – mini splits are a highly energy efficient option that can cut cooling costs by 30 percent. They’re quiet and provide heating and cooling in up to eight rooms. Con Edison is offering a $300 rebate for customers who install a mini-split this year.
For more information on energy savings programs go to https://marketplace.coned.com