Con Edison: public issues - con edison public issues

con edison public issues

Welcome to the Con Edison Public Issues site. Here you will find detailed information about company positions and testimony on current public issues, including events in which Con Edison has been mentioned in the news. We encourage you to use this page as a resource guide to learn about Con Edison's role in policy-making decisions affecting your home, your business, your community, and the environment.

Con Edison Investing Billions to Strengthen Its Energy Delivery Systems

Con Edison will invest billions of dollars in its electric, gas, and steam systems over the next decade to meet the growing energy needs of its customers.

During 2008, Consolidated Edison Company of New York’s customers used 62,062 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity. This level of use is more than 22% higher than the 50,837 GWh used in 1997... A gigawatt is a rate of energy production equal to 1,000 megawatts. Each megawatt is enough to power approximately 1,000 homes.

On August 2, 2006, Consolidated Edison Company of New York set a record for peak electricity demand, reaching 13,141 megawatts at 5 p.m. The New York Independent System Operator also reported a statewide peak-load record on August 2, 2006.

Con Edison first reached the 10,000-megawatt mark in 1988, topped 11,000 megawatts in 1997, broke the 12,000-megawatt barrier in 2001, and surpassed 13,000-megawatts in 2005. Peak electricity demand is the greatest amount of energy being supplied at a given time. .

Con Edison’s gas system is setting records as well. The months of December 2007 and January 2008 set a record for the highest natural gas throughput in Con Edison's history. In December 2007, 31.9 million dekatherms (Dth) moved through Con Edison’s system, breaking the previous highest monthly throughput mark of 29.68 million Dth set in February, 2007. Con Edison distributes natural gas to 1.1 million customers in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, and Westchester County. The company has nearly 4,300 miles of gas mains and 377,000 service pipes transporting an average of about 225 billion cubic feet of natural gas a year.

Con Edison operates the world’s largest district steam system, with an installed capacity of about 13 million pounds per hour. The system comprises 105 miles of mains and service pipes, providing steam for heating, hot water, and air conditioning to thousands of commercial and residential establishments in Manhattan. Con Edison continues to make significant investments in its steam infrastructure and plants. These investments maintain the high reliability and efficiency of the steam system, which also provides significant environmental benefits. Were it not for the steam system, annual CO2 emissions would be increased by the equivalent of emissions from 350,000 passenger cars driven for one year. The steam system also supplies the equivalent of 375 megawatts of air-conditioning load, which otherwise would require another power plant and associated electricity distribution equipment.

Public Service Commission Approves Electric Delivery Rate and Investment Plan

Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. received approval from the New York State Public Service Commission for a three-year rate plan, starting April 1, 2010.

The new three-year electric delivery rate plan provides long-term rate certainty for customers, and provides funding for Con Edison to continue investments needed to maintain system readiness and operating reliability.

The following are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the new rates. For more detailed information on the filing, visit Investor Relations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Con Edison rate plan include?

The plan includes a levelized annual increase of approximately $420 million in each of the three years, April 1, 2010 through March 31, 2013. Once again, increased taxes drive a substantial portion of the rate plan, accounting for approximately 30 percent of the overall increase.

How will this affect customers’ bills?

A typical New York City residential customer using 300 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month would see a total bill increase of approximately $3.63 per month in the first year. A typical Westchester County residential customer, using 450 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month, would see a total bill increase of approximately $5.04 per month in the first year.

What is the basis for the new rate increase?

The main driving forces are rising property taxes, other taxes and fees, and the need to invest in infrastructure, operating expenses, and pension costs.

Is the company taking any steps to reduce costs?

The company has worked diligently to hold down the increase in delivery costs, both through measures that reflect greater efficiencies and continued stringent cost-controls, and through financial adjustments spreading costs out to the future.

Tough austerity measures to hold down spending also are included in the new rate plan.

What steps has the company taken to help customers conserve energy?

We promote energy saving tips to customers through subway and newspaper messages, brochures, Power of Green pages on the Con Edison Web site and on Facebook by searching Power of Green.

Con Edison also offers incentives to businesses and large residential buildings to install energy-efficient fixtures in neighborhoods where energy demand is reaching capacity.

Recently, Con Edison launched new energy efficiency programs for eligible small businesses and homeowners that include free energy surveys and rebates for those who upgrade their heating, cooling and hot-water systems. For small businesses, Con Edison will provide free energy audits and give substantial rebates to companies that make major energy efficiency upgrades. Residential customers can take advantage of rebates for installing the most efficient heating, cooling and hot-water equipment.

Free programmable thermostats are available to customers with central air-conditioning. We are awaiting approval on additional efficiency programs that will give our customers even more ways to better manage their energy use.

We also have programs where we pay businesses that help us temporarily reduce their electricity use during heat waves, and other events that strain our electric grid. For more information, visit Energy Efficiency.

What programs do you have to help people pay their bills?

We have several programs to help customers pay their bills. Customers can take advantage of level payment plans so that they can spread out their energy expenses evenly throughout the year.

We also offer Deferred Payment Agreements to help customers pay out a balance over several months - a down payment is required and then installments are due each subsequent month in addition to the current bill. Customers who need a little extra time to pay the bill can ask for an extension.

A host of programs and grants are available to income-eligible customers. Our EnergyShare Program offers income-eligible customers one-time grants of up to $200 toward their bills. Also, customers who are eligible can also apply for a Home Energy Assistance Program grant through New York State.

For customers age 62 and over whose Con Edison bills are less than $420 a year, we have the Quarterly Billing Plan. Also, our CONCERN Program (enrollment required if you are age 62 or older, or blind or permanently disabled) gives customers access to specially trained representatives who can advise about government aid programs, provide safety tips, and explain ways to save money on energy bills.

For more information, visit Customer Central.

Con Edison Files Gas Rate and Investment Plan

Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. has submitted a proposal to the New York State Public Service Commission for a new gas rate and investment plan to take effect October 1, 2010. The filing proposes two options: a three-year, levelized rate increase or a one-year rate increase. Under the three-year proposal, a typical residential heating customer paying $242 per month would see an increase of $16 (6.6%). A typical business paying $390 per month would see an increase of $17 (4.4%). Under the one-year proposal, a typical residential heating customer paying $242 per month would see an increase of about $22, or a 9.1% rise. A typical business paying $390 per month would see an increase of about $26, or a 6.7% rise.

For more detailed information on the filing, click here.

Con Edison Files Steam Rate Increase Request

Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. submitted a proposal to the New York State Public Service Commission for a new steam rate and investment plan filing to take effect October 1, 2010 on November 6, 2009. The company proposed two options. The first option is a four-year plan that would increase rates approximately $66.1 million each year of the plan or by 9.4% percent annually. The second option is a one year plan to increase rates by $128.8 million in October 2010. For more detailed information on the proposal filing, click here.

Shaping New York Energy Policy

Con Edison plays a key role in shaping New York energy policy. As a way to help our customers and other energy market participants understand current energy issues and Con Edison's proposals to address those issues, the company has submitted several policy recommendations to the State Energy Planning process. This process was instituted in March 2008 by executive order of Governor Paterson to create a state energy plan focused on appropriate energy supplies and managing energy demand for the future. More information is available at the state energy plan Web site http://www.nysenergyplan.com

Policy Recommendation Documents:

Comments on these proposals are welcome via e-mail at corpcom@coned.com.

Transformer Efficiency Standards

Con Edison joined a number of the country’s other largest utilities recently as a signatory to a letter urging the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to adopt more-stringent energy efficiency standards for electric distribution transformers. The majority of the distribution transformers in use on the Con Edison system already meets the proposed higher standard and has been operating at that level for many years.

In the letter to the Secretary of Energy, the companies argued that more efficient transformers would not only save energy and cut pollution from power plants but also would save the companies money, and thereby help to lower energy costs for their customers. According to DOE’s own analysis, the benefits would exceed the costs by $11.1 billion nationally over 28 years.

In addition, DOE’s analysis shows that adopting the higher standard will save 459 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, reduce peak load by 6,600 megawatts, and eliminate 252.3 million metric tons of associated carbon dioxide emissions, 70.9 thousand tons of nitrogen oxide emissions and 4.5 tons of mercury emissions between 2010 and 2038.

Because the transformers the utility industry installs under these standards will be in use for many decades, it is important to make sure the national minimum standards achieve as much cost-effective savings as possible. Con Edison supports using appliance and equipment standards to save customers money on energy bills and help slow the rate of peak electric demand growth.