LIPA Sets New Winter Electric Demand Record

An Adequate Supply Is Available for LI
Conservation Is Always a Good Idea

Uniondale, NY—January 16, 2004—The arctic cold snap and winter snow storm that enveloped the Long Island region this week caused a record- breaking demand for electricity, according to the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA).

On Thursday, January 15th, during the hour ending at 7:00 PM, LIPA set a new winter peak demand record of 3,606 Megawatts (MW) of electricity delivered to the Long Island Control Area (LICA). That tops last winter’s peak record of 3447 MWs, set January 27, 2003, by 159 MWs, which is a 4% increase in winter peak demand.

The January 15th, record surpassed the 2004 winter peak record set briefly on Wednesday, January 14th, when 3488 MWs were delivered to the LICA by LIPA.

LIPA has an adequate supply of electricity to meet customer demand and expects today’s peak demand to remain high, but it should not surpass yesterday’s record because the low temperatures and wind chill factors are expected to moderate slightly.

"We have sufficient electric energy supply to meet demand during the current cold snap, "said LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel.” On- and off-island resources are plentiful. We continue to request that customers use their electricity wisely. This will help keep their electric bills within individual budgets, and reinforce the habit of conserving energy throughout the year."

An overall increase in base-load continues to push the LICA’s electric demand. Traditionally, winter peak demand records were driven by holiday lighting in the month of December. Over the past two years, however, the overall base load combined with frigid temperatures has displaced the holiday lighting season.

Although the severely cold weather has driven electric demand, weather alone is not entirely responsible for the record numbers. Several winter peak records have been set over the last five years during comparatively mild winters. In fact, the all-time top 15 highest winter electric demand days in Long Island history have occurred in just the last 18 months.

For information on electric conservation and efficiency, visit LIPA’s Web site at www.lipower.org.

LIPA, a non-profit municipal electric utility, owns the retail electric system on Long Island, and provides electric service to nearly 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties, and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. LIPA does not provide natural gas service.

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