GILLIBRAND SECURES COMMITMENT TO HAVE KEVIN LAW, CEO OF LIPA TESTIFY AT NEXT WEEK’S CLIMATE CHANGE HEARING

As A Member Of The Environment And Public Works Committee, Gillibrand Is A Key Player During Climate Change Debate

Long Island Power Authority To Testify Before Committee in Washington, D.C. On Wednesday, October 28

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, announced today that Kevin Law, President and CEO of the Long Island Power Authority, will be testifying on Wednesday, October 28 during a hearing on the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. Kevin Law is expected to testify as part of a panel featuring some of the nation’s leading energy providers.

“I am honored to have Kevin Law testify as part of these historic hearings,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The Long Island Power Authority has been at the forefront of combating global climate change through investments in efficiency and clean energy development. Mr. Law’s testimony will provide a unique perspective from an entity that already operates under a program to reduce emissions. I look forward to welcoming him to Washington and hearing his expert testimony as we work to strengthen America’s national security, grow good-paying, green jobs, and stop the effects of global climate change.”

“I welcome the opportunity given to me by Senator Gillibrand, Senator Boxer, and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to share LIPA's unique perspective on this groundbreaking energy legislation,” said Kevin Law, President and CEO of LIPA. “As the second largest public power company in the nation, LIPA has been leading the way to reduce greenhouse gases and invest in energy efficiency and renewables. This new bill has the potential to create green jobs and build a 21st century clean energy economy for Long Island and the country.”

The Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act was introduced by Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry, and Senate Environment & Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer on September 30, 2009. The legislation sets a framework for reducing carbon emissions and investing in energy efficiency, clean transportation, green job growth, and clean energy research and development to reverse the effects of global climate change.

LIPA provides electric service to approximately 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. It recently launched Efficiency Long Island, a 10-year, $924 million energy efficiency program that will make a wide array of incentives, rebates and initiatives available to LIPA’s residential and commercial customers to assist them in reducing their energy usage and thereby lowering their bills. In addition, LIPA issued an RFP to add 50 mega watts of on-island solar generation to be tied directly to grid and is currently negotiating with the winning bidders. This would be the largest solar project in New York State. More than half of those mega watts are proposed to be installed at Brookhaven National Laboratory, a facility run by the Department of Energy.

LIPA’s Solar Pioneer and Entrepreneur program has seen the installation of Long Island’s 2,000th solar roof and has rebated approximately $40 million for solar panels. This summer, Senator Gillibrand announced a key Senate panel approval of $500,000 for this program.

Through its various incentives and rebates, LIPA has helped transform the regional economy, create clean energy jobs, and increase the use of solar power for residences, businesses, municipalities, and schools. In his testimony, Law will discuss LIPA’s involvement with New York’s aggressive and comprehensive clean energy initiatives and how they can work for the rest of the Country. Senator Gillibrand has continuously pushed for more federal investment in renewable programs such as LIPA’s.

LIPA has invested in renewable resources and clean energy technology by:

Implementing a residential and commercial customer “smart meter” pilot program
Implementing an expanded residential and a new commercial solar and wind net metering program.
Introducing a backyard wind program to incentivize the installation of residential wind mills.
Creating repowering studies to determine the technical and economic feasibility for modernizing Long Island’s power plants.
Applying for funds for a proposed Smart Grid Corridor along one of Long Island’s most economically important areas.

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 2010, 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
Mark Gross
Phone - (516) 719-9892
Media Pager - (516) 229-7248
media.relations@lipower.org

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