New York’s energy use has reached unprecedented levels. For the year 2007, Consolidated Edison Company of New York’s customers used 62,591 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity, which eclipsed the previous record of 61,608 GWh set in 2005. This level of use is more than 23% higher than the 50,837 GWh used in 1997. A gigawatt is a rate of energy production equal to 1,000 megawatts. 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 in 2006) or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (55,850 GWh in 2006).

On August 2, 2006, Con Edison set a record for peak electricity demand, reaching 13,141 megawatts at 5 p.m., topping a record of 13,103 megawatts the company set the day before, on August 1. The New York Independent System Operator also reported a statewide peak-load record on August 2, 2006. Peak electricity demand is the greatest amount of energy supplied at a given time. One megawatt is enough electricity to power approximately 1,000 homes. 

Con Edison first reached the 10,000-megawatt mark in 1988, more than 100 years after Edison’s Pearl Street Generating Station began operations. Electricity demand topped 11,000 megawatts in 1997, broke the 12,000-megawatt barrier in 2001, and surpassed 13,000-megawatts in 2005. Peak electric demand in New York City and Westchester County in summertime has been growing annually by about 225 megawatts, the equivalent of powering more than 200,000 homes per year. Con Edison expects to deliver 41% of New York State’s 2008 peak consumption.

As growth continues in our region, new building projects and housing depend on having a reliable energy infrastructure. Con Edison has an overall three-year $5.5 billion capital program to enhance its electric delivery system. The company will also pursue new energy-efficiency initiatives and conservation programs to reduce demand by at least 500 megawatts by 2015, offsetting the need to build a large power plant. To meet these needs, the company has filed a new electric rate proposal with the New York State Public Service Commission. Click here for more information about the company's rate proposal.

The report by the New York Building Congress, Electricity Outlook: Powering New York City's Economic Future, and New York City’s PlaNYC 2030, confirm that population growth, economic development, and the growing use of electronic products by consumers continue to increase energy consumption.

In 2007, metropolitan New York’s economy remained strong, boosted in part by major construction projects in the residential and commercial sectors. The year saw the highest number of dwelling permits issued since 1972. The city is a vital center for finance, media, and the arts, and continues to attract talented people who find rewarding careers and make New York their home. The New York Building Congress expects total jobs in New York City to increase from 4.15 million in 2002 to 4.46 million in 2010 and 5.03 million by 2025 – a 21% increase.

The city’s population has grown by more than 240,000 since the start of the decade, and its housing market continued to be one of the most stable in the nation last year. PlaNYC outlines the need to accommodate up to a million new residents by 2030 – with adequate housing, schools, hospitals, and transportation. The Building Congress anticipates office development of at least 44 million square feet to be completed by 2025 and the construction of 90 new schools throughout the five boroughs from 2005 through 2009. Consequently, Con Edison will have to meet the energy needs of those new New Yorkers.

Over the last five years, the number of home computers in Con Edison of New York's service area grew by 650,000; 77% of households now have a home computer. Another half-million are projected to be connected in the next five years. During the summer of 2007, Con Edison’s customers used a record six million air conditioners to cool their homes and offices; 90% of households have air conditioning. A significant contributor to increasing energy use is the growing number of customers purchasing new, larger, flat-screen TVs. These sets use up to three times more power than conventional sets. As prices for flat-screen TVs fall, this trend is expected to grow.

If current trends continue, energy demand could grow substantially. Despite fluctuations in the economy and increasing conservation efforts, Con Edison projects peak electricity demand will increase by 10% over the next decade. PlaNYC estimates that to meet growing energy demands while reducing pollution from older power plants will require generating an additional 2,000 to 3,000 MW of capacity by 2015. Therefore, substantial investments in the energy supply chain are required. At the same time, one of the best ways to meet New York’s growing energy needs while reducing pollution is to reduce energy demand. Con Edison must simultaneously address New York’s energy challenges and its environmental challenges.

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