New York Commercial & Residential Energy

Con Ed sees record New York City summer power demand – 866-572-2274

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 10:41:28 +0000

Thu Jun 2, 2011 4:45pm EDT

(Reuters) – New York City’s power company, Consolidated Edison Inc (ED.N), said Thursday it had enough power to meet forecast record power demand this summer.

The company said in a release it invested $1.1 billion to strengthen its electric system for this year, including $814 million for cables, transformers, and network protectors; $63 million on transmission upgrades; and $212 million on new substation installations and related equipment.

“Our work force prepares continuously through the fall, winter and spring to get our system ready for the summer season,” Craig Ivey, president of Con Edison, said in the release.

The company forecast power usage by its more than three million customers in New York City and Westchester County would reach a record peak of 13,275 megawatts (MW) this summer. The current record peak is 13,141 MW set on Aug. 2, 2006.

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Cuomo To Save The Day And Prevent 12% Con Ed Rate Hike – 866-572-2274

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 15:08:43 +0000

By Jen Chung in News on April 14, 2011 9:03 AM

Because of a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ruling that will impose an unnecessary 12% Con Ed rate hike (a typical $74 apartment bill would go up $12), Governor Andrew Cuomo is getting involved. The Post reports that he “will introduce legislation ‘within the next few days’ permitting the city to guarantee permanent property-tax abatements to local electric-generating companies, removing the basis for a little-noticed FERC decision that could hike electric rates by $500 million a year.” Cuomo spokesman Josh Vlasto said, “This is a common-sense fix for a problem that could cost New York rate-payers hundreds of millions of dollars per year.”

This whole issue started because of power generating companies’ property-tax abatements: Back in 2008, the Legislature changed the NYC tax abatement program from “as of right” to “discretionary,” meaning the tax abatements could be repealed at any time

ut the city ended up guaranteeing the abatements, making power generating companies’ request for money to replace the tax abatement unnecessary.

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Pa. to Electricity Suppliers: Fix Billing Problems – 866-572-2274

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 22:14:06 +0000

June 01, 2011|By Andrew Maykuth, Inquirer Staff Writer

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, responding to an Inquirer article about potential overcharging by several residential electricity suppliers, has called upon the power industry to comply with PUC billing regulations.

In a letter dated Friday, the PUC ordered the state’s electric utilities and more than 100 licensed electricity suppliers to disclose any billing irregularities and “planned corrective measures.”

The PUC’s letter was prompted by a May 15 Inquirer article that showed how a Brooklyn electricity supplier had failed to disclose its rates on customer bills, and how another supplier had mistakenly billed 5,770 residential customers for sales tax.

The PUC, concerned that the billing goofs could undermine consumer confidence in Pennsylvania’s nascent deregulated electrical markets, gave the suppliers until June 10 to account for their billing practices.

Irwin A. “Sonny” Popowsky, the state’s consumer advocate, whose office had pursued two complaints from Inquirer readers, welcomed the PUC’s letter.

“Once the commission learned of the problems, it acted promptly and proactively,” Popowsky said. “This kind of response is necessary in order to maintain confidence in the electric market.”

Under the state’s Electric Choice Act, which took full effect Jan. 1 for Peco Energy Co. customers, traditional utilities such as Peco became solely distributors of power.

Customers can choose an alternative supplier that generates the power, often at a discount, or they can allow Peco to provide service at a default rate known as the “price to compare.” About 300,000 of Peco’s 1.6 million customers have switched since Jan. 1st.

Although Peco bills customers on behalf of the suppliers, the utility says it does not review the information and is not responsible for supplier billing lapses.

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For Commercial Customers, Peco Will Raise its Price to Compare – 866-572-2274

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 22:12:23 +0000

May 18, 2011|By Andrew Maykuth, Inquirer Staff Writer

Peco Energy Co.’s commercial customers who have not shopped for an alternative electric supplier might want to reconsider that strategy.

The Philadelphia utility announced Tuesday that its electricity prices for commercial customers would increase between 9.4 percent and 12.6 percent on July 1.

Peco’s commodity charge, which accounts for about two-thirds of a typical customer’s bill, will increase sharply to reflect the higher price of procuring power during the summer months, said Cathy Engel Menendez, the utility’s spokeswoman.

The increase won’t affect the 60,000 Peco small commercial customers who have switched electrical suppliers in Pennsylvania’s deregulated energy markets.

But nearly 100,000 shop owners, office managers, and manufacturers that have not switched from Peco might take a second look at alternatives in the face of the impending increase.

For small commercial customers, Peco’s price to compare will increase from 9.43 cents per kilowatt hour to 10.32 cents on July 1, a 9.4 percent increase.

For medium commercial customers, the rate will increase from 9.30 cents per kWh to 10.47 cents, or 12.6 percent.

According to Peco, the average monthly usage for general-service commercial customers – the GS Rate – is 4,530 kilowatt-hours, or about $565 a month.

A typical small business customer will see a monthly increase of $40 on July 1.

Peco had previously announced that residential charges would be increasing by 4.3 percent on July 1. On Tuesday, Peco was more specific, saying its residential price-to-compare will increase from 9.99 cents to 10.42 cents. For consumption above 500 kilowatt-hours, the price will be 11.69 cents per kWh.

Peco says that the commodity prices are based on procurement contracts with power generators, and that the utility passes the cost along to customers without markup. The supply contracts are based upon tightly structured market-based auctions.

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Some PPL Customers Hit Hard by Rate Increase – 866-572-2274

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 22:10:43 +0000

May 21, 2011|By Andrew Maykuth, Inquirer Staff Writer

PPL Electric Utilities customers live in a topsy-turvy world.

The Allentown utility on Friday announced new quarterly supply rates for its customers, including an increase of more than 64 percent for customers who signed up for hourly time-of-use rates.

The rates of small commercial customers will increase 33 percent on June 1.

But most residential customers – nearly 900,000 of the utility’s 1.4 million customers – will see a 5 percent decrease.

The rate adjustments do not affect about 38 percent of PPL customers who have switched to alternative suppliers in the utility’s deregulated marketplace.

PPL spokesman Michael O. Wood said the 21,000 customers who switched to hourly rates this year can switch back to the utility’s flat default rate immediately. He said most were expected to switch.

In Pennsylvania’s deregulated marketplace, utilities must adjust their supply rates quarterly to reflect fluctuations in the electric commodity markets. The utilities pass the costs along to customers without markup.

The quarterly changes do not affect the utility’s distribution charge, which all customers pay no matter who supplies their power.

More than 538,000 of PPL’s 1.4 million customers have switched suppliers since the market rates took hold 17 months ago, a year ahead of Peco Energy Co.’s rates.

The most severely affected customers will be those who opted for PPL’s new two-tiered time-of-use rates, which charge a higher price during peak hours, between 1 and 6 p.m. on weekdays.

Customers who signed up for those rates, which were steeply discounted during the winter, were warned they would likely increase in the summer. Now comes the rate shock.

The price for on-peak hours will increase 64 percent, from 7.54 cents per kilowatt hour to 12.37 cents.

The price for off-peak hours will increase 75 percent, from 6.1 cents per kilowatt hour to 10.65 cents.

The new price to compare for PPL’s 900,000 residential customers who have stayed with the utility will be 8.77 cents per kilowatt hour, a decrease from the current 9.27 cents per kWh. A typical residential customer using 1,000 kWh monthly will save about $5.

Wood said the dramatic difference in prices was the result of the different way the Public Utility Commission requires the utility to procure power.

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Albany Bill Takes Aim at Utility Rate Hike – 866-572-2274

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:43:36 +0000

Wednesday, May 18, 2011 – 06:27 PM

By WNYC Newsroom

The state legislature has unanimously approved a bill that supporters say could prevent a 12 percent rate hike in energy prices.

Under the bill, power plant operators will be exempt from property taxes. Until now, those tax abatements had been discretionary and only some companies received them.

In a statement, Governor Andrew Cuomo said he and Mayor Michael Bloomberg are asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reverse its approval of the rate hike because of the new bill. The increase is supposed to go into effect next month.

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Peco Will Raise its Price to Compare for Commercial Customers – 866-572-2274

Fri, 20 May 2011 11:31:04 +0000

May 18, 2011|By Andrew Maykuth, Inquirer Staff Writer

Peco Energy Co.’s commercial customers who have not shopped for an alternative electric supplier might want to reconsider that strategy.

The Philadelphia utility announced Tuesday that its electricity prices for commercial customers would increase between 9.4 percent and 12.6 percent on July 1.

The increase won’t affect the 60,000 Peco small commercial customers who have switched electrical suppliers in Pennsylvania’s deregulated energy markets.

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New York City Electric Bills to Rise by Atleast 12% in June – 866-572-2274

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:09:01 +0000

Updated: Friday, 01 Apr 2011, 10:40 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 01 Apr 2011, 10:40 PM EDT

MYFOX NEW YORK STAFF REPORT

MYFOXNY.COM - New York City households will soon see their electric bills spike by up to 12 percent because of a decision by a federal agency to give more cash to power generators.

The move has local officials and even Con Edison upset.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved an increase — which takes effect May 28, 2011 — in the amount that power-generating companies get. That increase then gets passed along to the consumer through power-transmission companies such as Con Edison.

“New Yorkers shouldn’t be forced to pay exorbitant electric rates because some far away regulator decided not to look at all the evidence before it,” said Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y. “FERC needs to reverse its earlier decision and do right by New York ratepayers, who already have some of the most expensive energy costs in the country.”

Con Edison officials said don’t blame them. Even the utility is even calling on FERC to reverse the decision.

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Going Green Helping to Keep School Districts in the Black – 866-572-2274

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 22:15:47 +0000

Posted on Thu, Apr. 21, 2011

By Dan Hardy

Inquirer Staff Writer

When Henderson High School students signed on to help cut energy costs, their tools were modest: posters, chocolate candies, handmade bookmarks, paper covers for light switches.

They put up posters asking teachers to turn off lights, computers, copy machines, and other equipment when not needed, giving birth to “Power Down Fridays.”

Teachers who obliged received candy and handwritten bookmarks saying, “Thanks.”

The practice caught on and became part of the routine. The school reduced its energy usage by 22 percent last year, saving $60,000.

Officials used Henderson as an example in the West Chester district’s 15 other schools, leading to a total reduction of about $261,000.

Connor Pollock, a senior this year, said that on Power Down Fridays, the hallways are “dark as a cave – it’s wonderful. . . . I think it’s great that we can save the school money.”

As districts grapple with multimillion-dollar budget deficits for next year, West Chester and others that have been making energy savings for the last few years are now reaping the benefits. And their timing couldn’t be better.

Pressed to wring savings out of every corner of their operations, many districts are quietly making changes to energy practices that can save six figures or more each year. And it’s one of the few areas where reductions won’t impact the classroom.

“It’s giving us money – a lot of money – that we don’t have to spend on energy, so it can go into education,” said Scott Kennedy, director of operations in the Central Bucks School District, which expects to have about $1 million in energy savings this year.

The Council Rock School District has saved more than $9 million in fewer than five years by cutting energy consumption by 49 percent, said Thomas W. Schneider, the Bucks County district’s supervisor of operations.

It has computerized its operations so that many systems can be automatically turned off. Supervisors, using laptops from home or the office, can control lighting, heating, and air-conditioning. Auditoriums and cafeterias, for example, don’t get much air flow until just before a crowd arrives. Parking lot lights are turned on and off remotely.

Student and faculty “green teams” at schools keep consciousness high, said district science coordinator Renee Devlin. Children at some schools get teachers’ permission to put green tape over light switches to keep them off for a time, she said, and put stickers on other switches reminding people to flick them off.

Administrators and the school board “are nothing but supportive” of student environmental initiatives, said Jeremy Wortzel, a junior at Council Rock North and the head of the Environmental Action Club there.

The district lowers energy costs in other ways, too, Schneider said. It recently locked in electricity and natural gas prices in advance, saving about $800,000.

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National Grid Offers Company Rebates for Energy-Efficient Boiler Installations – 866-572-2274

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 22:14:57 +0000

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Naresh Rammohan

By Naresh Vissa
NCC News Reporter

Central New York companies are now getting incentives for installing energy-efficient boilers.

National Grid is giving rebates to clients who install new boilers. These are the big heating units found in schools and other large buildings.

Through the National Grid 2011 Upstate New York Commercial Gas & Electric Efficiency Heating Program, the Oswego City School District received incentive dollars to reduce the cost-difference between standard-efficiency and high-efficiency equipment. By selecting and installing high-efficiency gas boilers, the school district saved energy and reduced its operating costs.

“Incentives range between $200 to $12,000 for installation of high-efficiency furnaces, boilers, infrared heaters, condensing unit heaters, and indirect fire-water heaters ,” National Grid small and medium business manager Wally Dengos said.

The National Grid and Oswego City School District used the consultation services of Sack & Associates, an engineering company located in downtown Syracuse. Together, they created energy-efficient boilers that were installed in the Oswego School District.

“In a typical system, the return water coming back from the building may be 100 to 120 degrees,” Sack & Associates Consulting Engineers President Paul Sack said. ”As it goes, flows through the boilers, it’s heated up to 160 to 180 degrees. It’s only possible to condense at the lower water temperatures. So we’ve arranged the water flow through the boilers so that it flows through the condensing boilers first to be operating at 95% efficiency. And then, when needed in the deepest part of winter, it flows through the non-condensing boilers, heated at 87% efficiency.”

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