NEW YORK, NY, Jan 07, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) -- Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (Con Edison) announced
today that the company delivered a record amount of electricity to
customers in New York City and Westchester County in 2007, spurred
largely by the region's growing economy.
Last year's usage of 62,591 gigawatt hours (GWh) eclipsed the record
of 61,608 GWh set in 2005, and is more than 23 percent higher than the
50,837 GWh used in 1997.
According to the latest available national data, Con Edison's record
delivery surpasses the annual electrical usage of the entire state of
Colorado (49,734 GWh) or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (55,850
GWh) in 2006.* That same year, electrical usage in Con Edison's
service area was 60,627 GWh.
A gigawatt is a rate of energy production equal to 1,000 megawatts.
One megawatt can power approximately 1,000 homes. Peak electric
demand in New York City and Westchester County in summertime has been
growing annually by about 200 megawatts, the equivalent of powering
an additional 200,000 homes per year.
New construction and increased use of new electrical devices,
including flat-screen televisions and associated on-screen games,
computers, and various handheld gadgets, as well as record numbers of
home offices, are all part of downstate's prosperity and contribute
to increasing use.
Even as the country's overall energy needs continue to grow, Con
Edison urges customers to conserve, and offers energy savings tips on
the company's Web site at http://www.coned.com/go_green/100tips.asp.
Con Edison has the largest underground electrical system in North
America with 94,000 miles of underground cables, enough to wrap the
earth 3.6 times. The company also maintains 36,000 miles of overhead
cables.
Con Edison expects to spend $7.5 billion over the next five years on
its electric delivery system to maintain reliability and support the
significant economic growth projected for its service area.
Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE: ED),
one of the nation's largest investor-owned energy companies, with
approximately $12 billion in annual revenues and $28 billion in
assets. The utility provides electric, gas, and steam service to more
than 3 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, New
York. For additional financial, operations, and customer service
information, visit Con Edison's Web site at www.coned.com.
*Source: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/esr/esr_sum.html
Contact:
Michael Clendenin
212-460-4111
SOURCE: Con Edison Co. of NY, Inc.
