For the second consecutive day this week, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) Wednesday activated a program to reduce electricity use at public-facility locations in New York City in response to anticipated higher energy demand due to the hot weather. NYPA has also issued a day-ahead notice of the possible activation of the program tomorrow. Including today, the program has been activated five times this summer.
NYPA’s Peak Reduction Program, which can be operated for up to 15 days between June 1 and September 1, features voluntary commitments by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the City University of New York to lower electricity use at 20 New York City locations during the highest-demand days of the air-conditioning season to help ensure reliable supplies of electricity.
Today’s activation coincides with a statewide heat advisory issued by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Monday and the activation by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) of similar demand response programs. The NYISO programs, known as the Special Case Resource Program and the Emergency Demand Response Program, also include the participation of several of NYPA’s large business and governmental customers located across the state.
“We can’t do anything about the weather, but we can all do something on the demand side to alleviate stress on the power grid during these hot summer days,” said Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and chief executive officer. “These peak load management programs are some of the options available to NYPA customers under Governor Cuomo’s multidimensional efforts to improve the reliability of the power grid. The voluntary participation of a number of our large customers in these programs has proven critically important for stabilizing the power grid when spiking temperatures increase the use of air-conditioning and strain the electric distribution system.”
Through the activation of NYPA’s Peak Load Reduction Program and the NYISO programs, NYPA customers have committed to curtail the use of over 54 megawatts (MW) during the activation events. (One megawatt is enough electricity to meet the power needs of 800 to 1,000 typical homes.)
Participating customers in NYPA’s Peak Load Management programs reduce their electricity demand with conservation measures such as shutting off unnecessary lighting and discretionary equipment, and, in some cases, by operating small, properly permitted backup generators. In return for the power curtailment, NYPA pays participants based on their energy reduction levels.
The Power Authority’s own comprehensive summer preparedness efforts across the state involve appropriate maintenance of its 16 generating facilities, which have a total combined capacity of approximately 5,450 MW, and of 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines, to ensure full strength for meeting the summer’s higher electricity demand. Currently, these facilities are all operating or available for service. For more information on NYPA’s Peak Load Management Programs, please visit http://www.nypa.gov/PLM/default.htm
