LIPA Helps the Town of Islip and the Rinx at Hidden Pond Park Reap the Benefits of Going Green

LIPA Rebates Help Major Skating Center in Islip Save More than $53,000 a Year through Energy Efficiency

Hauppauge, NY— As part of the Long Island Power Authority’s (LIPA) commitment to energy efficiency, the Authority has partnered with the Town of Islip to complete an efficiency upgrade at the Rinx at Hidden Pond Park, a major skating facility within the Town.

Financial incentives for the program were available through the Commercial Efficiency component of LIPA’s Efficiency Long Island program, a 10-year, 924 million initiative launched this year. Efficiency Long Island is designed to reduce peak energy demand, thereby enabling LIPA to avoid having to construct the next Long Island power plant and also reducing greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change.

“The only way we can continue to chip away at our dependence on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to become smarter about how we utilize energy,” said LIPA President and CEO Kevin S. Law. “I am proud to partner with Supervisor Nolan and the Rinx to help make this skating center a cleaner, more energy efficient, and cost effective place for the residents in the Town of Islip to enjoy.”

“When the Rinx switched from metal halide lights to fluorescent, thanks to a rebate check from LIPA, they reduced their carbon footprint and saved a bundle of money,” said Islip Town Supervisor Phil Nolan. “I commend both entities for being Islip Town’s partner in green energy and I look forward to more savings in energy consumption and money.”

With LIPA’s assistance, it was determined that the greatest opportunity for energy savings at the Rinx would come from a comprehensive lighting project at the facility’s two ice rinks. Each rink was upgraded from halide fixtures controlled by a simple bi-level switch to high bay fluorescent lighting with enhanced controls including multiple switching capabilities.

“The Rinx has worked very closely with the Town of Islip and LIPA on reducing the carbon footprint. These new lights combined with the Co Generation Plant installed 5 years ago have made the Town of Islip ice skating facility cutting edge in reducing the dependence on non renewable energy,” said Frank Palamara, owner of H.P.P. Rinx Inc.

Through these improvements it is estimated the Town of Islip and The Rinx will save approximately 284,918 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which equates to over $52,539. It will also reduce LIPA’s demand by 62 kilowatts (kW).

The above savings will have the equivalent effect of reducing 27 cars from the road for one year or 16,524 gallons of gas not consumed for a year.

The total cost of the project was $52,000. The LIPA rebate of $22,000 helped to bring this fixture replacement project down to an approximate simple payback period of only six months.

"Skating events going green is a slap shot for good public policy. This successful power play is great for the public and the environment, "said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

Efficiency Long Island offers a wide array of incentives, rebates and initiatives to LIPA’s residential and commercial customers to assist them in reducing their energy usage and thereby lowering their bills. To learn more visit, the website at http://www.lipower.org/efficiency/commercial.html

LIPA, a non-profit municipal electric provider, owns the retail electric Transmission and Distribution System on Long Island and provides electric service to more than 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. LIPA is the 2nd largest municipal electric utility in the nation in terms of electric revenues, 3rd largest in terms of customers served and the 7th largest in terms of electricity delivered. In 2008, LIPA outperformed all other overhead electric utilities in New York State for frequency of service interruptions, and ranked second for duration of service interruptions. LIPA does not provide natural gas service or own any on-island generating assets. More information about LIPA can be found online at: http://www.lipower.org.

Media Contact Information
Vanessa Baird-Streeter
Phone - (516) 719-9230
Cell - (516) 640-0168
Media Pager - (516) 229-7248
media.relations@lipower.org

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