Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, NY—April 29, 2003— The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) today announced the formation of a partnership with Nassau County to achieve higher energy efficiency in the county’s buildings as it renovates existing facilities and consolidates operations into new ones.

LIPA also announced that it will continue the loan of six electric vehicles to Nassau County for use at various locations including parks facilities. Nassau will assess how electric vehicles may be incorporated into its vehicle fleet in the years ahead.

“LIPA stands ready to help Nassau County lower its operating costs by reducing its future electric bills,” said LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel. “LIPA can assist the County in providing energy efficiency guidance for building renovations and construction through our comprehensive Commercial Construction Program, which is part of our Clean Energy Initiative.”

Mr. Kessel said that LIPA would help Nassau County retrofit existing buildings with energy efficient technologies, and work with the county to construct new, energy smart facilities under the County Executive’s recently announced building consolidation program.

Some 1,087 businesses across Long Island have taken advantage of LIPA’s Commercial Construction Program since April of 2000 when the program was launched. In addition to lowering long-term operating costs by using the energy efficient technologies recommended by LIPA, program participants have also received nearly $9 million in cash rebates for using the energy saving suggestions provided free of charge by LIPA under the building design phase of the Commercial Construction Program.

Mr. Kessel noted that by participating in LIPA’s Commercial Construction Program, Nassau County could receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in rebates by utilizing energy efficiency and alternative energy technologies in its buildings.

“Nassau County will use energy efficiency as it seeks to consolidate its countywide operations into a smaller number of buildings,” said Mr. Kessel. “As the consolidation process moves forward, and as buildings are either renovated or built, LIPA can provide energy planning guidance, free of charge, that will lower long-term operating costs for the County while earning rebates on the energy saving suggestions and technologies incorporated in the building designs.”

"Thanks to LIPA's help Nassau County will become more energy efficient, saving taxpayer dollars," said County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi. "The generous donation of electric cars has already helped the County save money on equipment cost as well as energy costs."

LIPA has also provided Nassau County with six electric vehicles to use at various locations. The vehicles include two Chrysler EPIC mini-vans, two Ford Ranger trucks and two Solectria Force sedans. The electric vehicles have no emissions and produce virtually no engine noise. Additionally, electric vehicles are 20 to 46% less costly to operate on a per mile basis when compared to traditionally fueled vehicles. It can cost from .08 cents to .12 cents per mile to operate an electric vehicle, as compared to .15 cents per mile for a gasoline-powered vehicle.

LIPA’s Commercial Construction Program provides financial incentives to customers who agree to specify and install energy-efficient equipment in buildings under construction or renovation. The program also offers technical assistance to developers and their design teams to facilitate the construction or renovation of buildings with an energy use performance that exceeds standard building practice.

Some of the measures that qualify for incentives include energy efficient lighting; certain high efficiency system components for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems – including the use of geothermal systems; high efficiency motors and variable speed drives.

Depending on the size of the project and the number of energy efficient designs included in the buildings, LIPA’s cash incentives range from $300,000 per building, to a maximum of $750,000 per year for an entire project.

Businesses across Long Island can also take advantage of some of LIPA’s individual programs that are designed to foster energy conservation and energy efficiency. For example, the following are available:

Geothermal Program
Cash incentives are offered to companies that incorporate geothermal heat pumps into their facilities, or replace an existing geothermal system. Geothermal systems use the energy stored in the earth for heating, cooling and hot water through a process that's amazingly simple.

Peak Reduction Program
Businesses can join LIPA’s program to reduce peak electric demand during the summer in return for a credit on their electric bill. When LIPA expects electric demand to approach supply capacity on Critical Demand Days, members are notified to reduce their peak loads to contracted levels. To be able to participate, businesses must be able to reduce demand by at least 50 KW of load. Last year some 900 businesses across the island joined the program, which accounted for about 167 megawatts of electric demand.

Commercial Energy Analysis
LIPA will conduct a free, thorough examination of existing equipment at the customer’s facility, and will analyze potential energy savings by making improvements in areas such as lighting, motors and drives, HVAC and more. Upon completion, the customer may be provided with a report that includes an analysis of present costs, and recommendations for energy saving measures, estimated costs and projected savings.

LIPA's Commercial Construction Program is funded through its Clean Energy Initiative (CEI), which is a multi-year, $170 million program initiated by Governor George Pataki in 1998. The CEI program is designed to foster energy conservation and efficient energy use, and the development and use of renewable energy technologies such as wind, solar, geothermal and fuel cells.

“Building planners think smart when they think energy efficiency,” said Mr. Kessel. “Lowering the operating costs for commercial and government buildings is a win-win for those who compete in the private sector commercial real estate market and for publicly owned or leased buildings.”

More details on LIPA’s Commercial Construction Program can be obtained by visiting LIPA’s Web site at www.lipower.org, or by calling the EnergyWise Infoline at 1-800-692-2626.

The Long Island Power Authority owns the retail electric system on Long Island. LIPA provides electric service to nearly 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens.

 

-30-