Governor Paterson, Congressman Israel and LIPA CEO Kevin Law Announce $12.5 Million Award for Rte 110 “Smart Energy Corridor”

Stimulus Funding Will Enhance Smart Grid Technology, Save Energy and Create Jobs

Uniondale, NY - Today, the Long Island Power Authority was awarded $12.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy for its Smart Energy Corridor project. U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced $620 million for 32 demonstration projects nationally. The funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be leveraged with $1 billion in funds from the private sector to support more than $1.6 billion in total Smart Grid projects nationally.

The Smart Energy Corridor project is a collaboration between LIPA, Stony Brook University and Farmingdale State College to create the first Smart Grid on LI. This initiative will assist residential, commercial and industrial LIPA customers in monitoring and reducing energy usage and costs, increase electric reliability, encourage energy efficiency and create clean energy jobs.

“As individuals and as a State, we must be smart about the way we use energy. This initiative will continue to support the clean energy economy that we are developing in New York,” said Governor David Paterson. “Projects like this will help New York achieve its goal of meeting 45 percent of its energy needs through efficiency and renewable resources by 2015. In addition, the Smart Energy Corridor project will create jobs and bolster Long Island’s workforce.”

Congressman Steve Israel served as a major supporter of LIPA’s Smart Grid project and worked closely with the Governor and LIPA to secure funding for the project. “Back in May, Kevin Law and I announced a plan to bring federal dollars to Long Island so the bustling Route 110 corridor could be outfitted with the latest Smart Grid technologies. Today, we learned that our plan worked and LIPA will receive nearly $12.5 million to work with SUNY and bring Smart Grid efficiency to commercial, industrial and residential customers along Route 110. With this demonstration project, we will continue to lead the way as a green energy corridor, bringing the latest clean energy technologies to Long Islanders so we can all lower our utility bills and reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” Rep. Israel said.

“We applaud President Obama, Secretary Chu, Governor Paterson and Congressman Israel as well as Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and our entire congressional delegation for assisting us in securing the federal dollars needed to implement our Smart Energy Corridor project,” said Long Island Power Authority CEO, Kevin S. Law. “This award will enable LIPA to continue its commitment to building a Smart Grid which encompasses ongoing LIPA projects, including smart metering, a 50MW solar program and LIPA-incentivized programs for customer owned renewable technologies such as solar, wind and geothermal.”

“While Long Island families are struggling to make ends meet and energy prices continue to soar during these tough economic times, providing funding for smart grid technology is a wise investment that creates jobs and reduces our reliance on foreign pollution-creating fuels,” Senator Charles E. Schumer said. “Long Islanders know all too well how difficult it is to deal with high electric bills but this new Smart Grid Corridor will lay the foundation for energy savings in the heart of LI”s business community.”

“This project is a win-win for New York consumers and the environment,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “The Route 110 Corridor is a major business artery for Long Island – by combining the energy expertise of LIPA with the educational leadership of Stony Brook University and Farmingdale College this project will be able to reach hundreds of commercial industrial and residential consumers. The Long Island Power Authority is leading the way by building on clean energy investments they have already made. These federal dollars will help fuel the new economy, creating good paying, green jobs right here in New York.”

"I was extremely pleased that LIPA received stimulus funding for their Route 110 Corridor project from the Department of Energy, said Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy. “This project will promote energy-saving choices for people and increase energy efficiency. The funding is another example of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act at work, improving Long Island’s infrastructure and getting Long Islanders back to work."

“These Recovery Act funds will lay the groundwork to bring a Smart Grid to Long Island,” Congressman Bishop said. “This grid will make our communities more energy efficient, create jobs, and reduce energy costs. This is a down payment on the promise to invest in green jobs and clean energy technologies that will help turn our economy around while making America energy independent.”

The Smart Energy Corridor runs along Route 110 from Rte 109 in Babylon to the Long Island Expressway in Huntington, Long Island’s “Main Street.” The project would integrate a suite of smart grid technologies; smart meters, distribution automation, distributed energy resources and electric vehicle charging stations. The project will also include testing of cyber security systems, identifying the optimal combination of features to encourage consumer participation and educating the public about the tools and techniques available with the Smart Grid.

“The Route 110 corridor is the perfect place to implement Smart Grid technology, and I am proud that LIPA is deploying this technology within the Town of Babylon,” said Supervisor Steve Bellone. “I look forward to continuing our work with LIPA to transform Route 110 into a fully-realized Smart Energy Corridor.”

“Smart grid technology carries the promise of playing a significant role in advancing the continued development of the Route 110 corridor, combining the equally important objectives of economic development and sustainability. This award will truly be a stimulus for Route 110’s future, and we commend LIPA for seeking the money and Gov. Paterson and Congressman Israel for helping obtain these federal dollars,” said Huntington Supervisor Frank P. Petrone, who also chairs the Route 110 Partnership.

In addition, LIPA will create the first NYS Smart Energy Campus at Farmingdale College, to include a Renewable Energy Resource Center to demonstrate and provide hands on training for the new Green Jobs that will be required in the installation, operation and maintenance of renewable technologies. "This is a critical project on an area of great importance for the future of energy technology,” said W. Hubert Keen, Farmingdale State College President. "It leverages the strengths of LIPA and the research expertise of Farmingdale and Stony Brook in ways that make this a powerhouse partnership with the potential to have a meaningful impact on energy efficiency. We are pleased to be developing the first ‘smart campus’ within this project."

Stony Brook University will provide resources for the development of technology needed for a Smart Grid in the areas of cyber-security, data visualization, and sensors that are necessary elements of a smart grid with the goal of creating new business/job opportunities and the smart grid engineers and technicians needed for the design of these systems. “This demonstration project clearly illustrates the ability of the Advanced Energy Center to partner institutions from academia and business to successfully compete for funding at the national level, said President Samuel L. Stanley. “This project will help the Long Island region lead the nation in the implementation of smart grid technologies, and thus be a leader in the integration of alternative energy sources."

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.

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Mark Gross
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