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National Grid Prepared To Provide Reliable Summer Electricity Service During Peak Demand Season
National Grid Prepared To Provide Reliable Summer Electricity Service During Peak Demand Season

July 07,2009

Beating the heat is the goal of many during the summer, including National Grid. In preparation for heat waves and the annual upswings in summertime electric demand, National Grid has prepared its network to accommodate increases in system use to provide reliable service to customers.

Every year, National Grid conducts summer readiness activities that include upgrades, inspections and maintenance of equipment, testing of systems, and emergency response drills -- all in anticipation of peaks in system requirements across both its Upstate New York and New England service areas.

  • Infrared examinations of transmission and distribution lines and other electrical equipment are conducted to test and verify the integrity of the connections on major electrical delivery systems.
  • Aerial, mobile and foot patrols are performed on transmission and distribution lines to inspect electrical equipment and structures.
  • Annual loading reviews are performed on all distribution substations and feeders to determine whether they have adequate capacity to deliver power on the hottest days.
  • Transformer settings are adjusted where necessary and transformer pumps and fans are proactively maintained.
  • Maintenance is performed on distribution substations and lines and on a variety of equipment, including voltage reduction equipment, capacitors, regulators and heat exchangers.
  • Main control center and backup control center generators are tested for readiness.
  • Scheduled transmission outages are reviewed to ensure they do not impact generation resources during peak load periods.
  • Emergency response drills are conducted with employees in a variety of company capacities.
  • Demand response efforts are ongoing to help customers understand how electric usage can be reduced at their facilities during periods of peak demand.
  • Programs encouraging energy efficiency measures, including customer rebate programs for the installation of energy efficient equipment, are available.
  • System operators perform annual preparatory training, which includes creation of action plans and projected peak load and capacity analysis.

    • Electricity usage typically rises in the summer as air conditioners and other cooling appliances are heavily used. In addition, major appliances such as refrigerators and freezers require additional energy to function in the summer heat.

    For information on energy efficiency, including rebate details and forms for installing high efficiency central air conditioning and additional energy efficiency measures (available in some geographic areas), customers can visit National Grid’s website at www.thinksmartthinkgreen.com.

    National Grid is an international energy delivery company. In the U.S., National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. National Grid also owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers.