The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved more than $48.3m in funding for nine natural gas and electric energy efficiency programmes for the commercial and industrial customer market segment.
Garry Brown, chairman of the New York State Public Service Commission, said: “Helping our commercial and industrial sector become more energy efficient will help these important, job-producing companies stay competitive.
“These energy efficiency programmes will enable participating companies to reduce energy costs and improve business operations. These latest energy saving initiatives that we have approved today will join a wide-ranging portfolio of energy efficiency programmes that have been approved this year by the commission.”
Electric and natural gas commercial and industrial customers will be able to receive financial assistance to help improve the energy efficiency of their businesses as a result of efficiency programmes approved for the utilities including Consolidated Edison of New York, New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG), Rochester Gas and Electric(RG&E), and National Grid.
For electric customers, Con Edison’s commercial and industrial custom efficiency programme will receive $10.7m, saving 15,980MWh; NYSEG’s non-residential small business direct installation programme will receive $15.3m, saving 56,826MWh; NYSEG’s non-residential commercial and industrial rebate programme will receive $5.8m, saving 15,634MWh; RG&E’s non-residential small business direct installation programme will receive $6.9m, saving 25,890MWh; and RG&E’s non-residential commercial and industrial custom rebate programme will receive $3.7m, saving 9,586MWh. The $42.2m invested in these programmes will save 123,916MWh of electricity, enough to power approximately 15,270 average-sized homes annually.
For gas customers, Con Edison’s commercial and industrial custom gas efficiency programme will receive $3m, saving 64,468 dekatherms; National Grid’s upstate commercial high-efficiency heating and water heating programme will receive $1.8m, saving 45,690 dekatherms; NYSEG’s non-residential commercial and industrial customer rebate programme will receive $552,000, saving 12,328 dekatherms; and RG&E’s non-residential commercial and industrial custom rebate programme will receive $553,000, saving 12,048 dekatherms. The $5.9m invested in these programmes will save 134,000 dekatherms.
On June 23, 2008, the commission created the Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (EEPS) programme to develop and encourage cost-effective energy efficiency programmes. Since then, proposals have been submitted in response to the initial order, some of which are combined electric and gas programmes. To provide for an orderly review of the proposals, they are being considered in phases, by customer market segment. The order, which was approved recently, focuses on programme proposals designed for the commercial and industrial customer market segment through 2011.