PSE&G Prepared for 2008 Summer Electric Demand
May 27 2008 - 3:58PM
PR Newswire (US)
Delivery system upgrades will keep the lights on and customers cool
NEWARK, N.J., May 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Public Service
Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is ready to meet this summer's
peak electric demand. The company, which for the sixth consecutive
year was recognized as the most reliable electric utility in the
Mid-Atlantic region, has made significant investments and upgrades
during the past year to keep the lights on and its customers cool.
"We're ready for what summer brings our way," said Ralph LaRossa,
PSE&G president and COO. "We have made a number of strategic
investments in our electric delivery system to ensure that the
infrastructure and facilities can handle demand." LaRossa stated
the PJM power pool has said that PSE&G should receive
sufficient power to meet the peak needs of its 2.1 million electric
customers. The company anticipates a peak demand of more than
10,760 megawatts. While PSE&G will be able to handle peak
demand, the utility is encouraging its customers to take steps to
conserve the use of electricity, not only on steamy summer days but
also to help address environmental issues and global warming.
Simple actions like switching to energy efficient lighting, turning
off electronic devices when not in use, and installing insulation
and weather-stripping can result in significant savings over time.
The company recommends that customers complete a free online home
energy analysis found at http://www.pseg.com/ to learn additional
ways to conserve energy use as well as to save money. In 2008
PSE&G will invest a historic $800 million in its delivery
infrastructure. Equipment has been replaced, facilities have been
upgraded and additional redundancies have been added to guarantee
system efficiency. Key investments include: -- An $18 million
upgrade of a 138,000-volt transmission line to 230,000-volt
operation, as well as the installation of new facilities at a
switching station and a sub station that will increase area
capacity and improve reliability for customers in the Bergen County
area. -- A $15 million installation of transformers to relieve
possible overload conditions and provide additional capacity to
customers in the Cinnaminson, Moorestown and Levittown areas. -- An
$11 million project to loop a 138,000-volt circuit into and out of
Bayway Switching Station in Elizabeth that will increase system
reliability and provide greater operating flexibility in the Newark
and Elizabeth area. -- A $7 million installation of three new
26,400-volt lines in Bergen County that will improve reliability
for customers in northeastern Bergen County. -- A $7 million
transformer replacement that will accommodate load growth in the
Bordentown/ Florence area. -- A $4 million substation reinforcement
and regional transmission expansion project that will better serve
electric demand in the Hillsborough, Franklin and Somerville area.
-- Helicopter inspection using infrared technology of the entire
1,164 miles of overhead transmission lines in addition to rigorous
inspection of the utility's 210-mile underground transmission
system. -- Utilization of infrared technology to inspect and
maintain more than 5,000 miles of critical distribution lines. --
Reconductoring overhead transmission lines and replacing other
equipment components that are nearing the end of their reliable
service lives. -- Significant spending on animal proofing in
substations. Providing protection at the source significantly
reduces the number and duration of outages caused by animal
contacts with equipment in substations. Electric demand in New
Jersey is growing between 1.4 and 1.6 percent annually. In addition
to the work we're doing to cover summer critical peak requirements,
PSE&G has made, and will continue to make, significant
investments in additional local transmission facilities to ensure
the utility remains among the most reliable in the nation. For
example, the company has begun to upgrade a number of
sub-transmission lines to 69,000 volts to improve reliability in
the years ahead. A new mobile construction workforce that includes
160 additional union personnel is providing the needed flexibility
to deploy construction teams closer to the 69,000-volt projects and
other work to maximize job site efficiencies. Public Service
Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is New Jersey's oldest and
largest regulated gas and electric delivery utility, serving nearly
three-quarters of the state's population. PSE&G is the winner
of the ReliabilityOne Award for superior electric system
reliability. PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise
Group Incorporated (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a diversified energy company
(http://www.pseg.com/). DATASOURCE: Public Service Electric and Gas
Company (PSE&G) CONTACT: Bonnie Sheppard of Public Service
Electric and Gas Company, +1-973-430-7734 Web site:
http://www.pseg.com/
Copyright
Public Service Enterprise (NYSE:PEG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2024 to Jul 2024
Public Service Enterprise (NYSE:PEG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2023 to Jul 2024