Con Edison is targeting both Lower Manhattan and the middle part of Staten Island with demand reduction programs designed to reduce customer electric demand, even as the company is concurrently embarking on its most aggressive substation building program in 30 years.

Public Energy Solutions of Englewood, New Jersey, a subsidiary of Comverge Inc., will work with customers in Lower Manhattan to reduce electric consumption by 67 MW by 2012, while Free Lighting Corp. of Houston, Texas, will work in Staten Island's mid-Island area to reduce energy demand by 1 MW, also by 2012.

"Conservation is required in tandem with system enhancements, like new substation construction, to offset anticipated increases in New Yorkers' energy demands," said Rebecca A. Craft, Con Edison's director of Energy Efficiency Programs. "Providing for an adequate energy future is a responsibility that involves all of us; every person, and every business, can do their part."

The program encourages customers to reduce electric demand by installing energy efficient lighting, air conditioning and refrigeration; and both residential and commercial customers may qualify for financial incentives that are available, in some instances, to offset installation costs.

Con Edison targets demand side management (DSM) programs for communities where growth in peak electric demand will result in the need for new substations, transformers and other infrastructure. DSM programs help delay those investments while reducing energy use in those neighborhoods. The company has implemented targeted demand side management programs in New York City and Westchester County resulting in verified savings to date in excess of 36 megawatts.

DSM programs are part of Con Edison's overall strategy to help meet its customers' energy needs. As outlined in the company's Energy NY plan, Con Edison is investing more than $7.5 billion over the next five years in system enhancements to ensure that residents have the ability to power their home computers, cell phone chargers, cooling systems and other electronic devices.