PSEG Long Island Is Prepared for Summer 2015

Significant Upgrades, Best Practice Tree Trim, and Investments in Customer Service to Improve Reliability

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May 11, 2015, 03:40 ET

UNIONDALE, N.Y., May 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- PSEG Long Island is ready to meet peak demand during the upcoming summer months and is continuing to make significant upgrades to provide an even more reliable system throughout the service territory.

PSEG Long Island has completed numerous projects to ensure safe and reliable service. This work includes substation, transmission and distribution upgrades, as well as circuit and equipment inspections across Long Island and the Rockaways.

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"We are committed to providing reliable service every day, regardless of the conditions," said John O'Connell, PSEG Long Island Vice President of Transmission and Distribution. "The improvements we are implementing will help us deliver consistent, resilient power to our customers to keep them comfortable during the summer heat."

As part of the capital improvement program, PSEG Long Island has invested:

$16 million to install new power control equipment (A Dynamic Reactive Support System) at the Wildwood Substation in the Town of Brookhaven, necessary to support voltage levels on the transmission system in Suffolk County;
$12 million to expand the capacity of the existing Terryville Substation in the in the Town of Brookhaven to meet with the growing needs of the area's customers;
$5.5 million to enhance the Syosset Substation design to increase reliability in the Town of Oyster Bay;
$3.1 million at the Elwood Substation to install new power control equipment necessary to support voltage levels on the Transmission System in the Town of Huntington, which will support customer needs;
$1.7 million at the Huntington Village Substation to install a new transmission Capacitor Bank and replace protective equipment to increase reliability and support electric voltage levels in the Town of Huntington.

To further minimize storm damage to the electric system, PSEG Long Island's Tree Trimming program works throughout the year to identify and trim tree limbs in rights of way and along easements that could potentially cause outages during or after a storm.

Tree limbs that come in contact with electric lines remain a major cause of customer outages during storms. In 2014, as a direct result of its move to the industry best practice clearance standard, PSEG Long Island reduced the number of tree-related outages by more than 80 percent on circuits that were trimmed. Earlier this year, PSEG Long Island received the Tree Line USA Award by the National Arbor Day Foundation. The company was recognized for using tree-friendly practices while enhancing system reliability. For more information on the PSEG Long Island Tree Trimming program, please visit https://www.psegliny.com/page.cfm/Home/Safety/TreeTrimming.

In addition to reliability upgrades to the electric grid, PSEG Long Island implemented a new outage management system (OMS) to improve the company's ability to identify and manage outage conditions all year long. The new OMS also expands the ability to respond in the aftermath of a major storm.

For Customer Service, a new voice activated automated customer service telephone system electronically records and reports outages to system operators to start the restoration process more quickly and efficiently. This new system is easier for customers to use.

PSEG Long Island reminds customers that higher temperatures can also lead to more usage and higher electric bills. Customers can save energy and money this summer by following a few simple tips.

Put air conditioners on timers
Set air conditioners at 78 degrees;
Use fans to circulate cool air, which helps cut air conditioner use;
Set refrigerators and freezers at most efficient temperatures;
Run major appliances such as clothes and dishwashers in the morning or late evening to avoid the peak demand hours of 2:00 – 8:00 p.m.;
Seal holes and cracks around doors and windows. Eliminate air leaks around window air conditioners with foam insulation or weather-stripping;
Close blinds, shades and draperies facing the sun to keep out the sun's heat and help fans and air conditioners cool more efficiently;
Turn off power sources. TVs, computers and other electronic devices draw power when they are in standby mode or turned off but still plugged in. Plug electronics into power strips and turn off the power switch when the items are not in use;
Use timers and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting;
Replace old appliances with new energy efficient ENERGY STAR® appliances;
If possible, install whole-house fans that bring in cooler night-time air that can pre-cool a house and reduce energy use in the daytime if heat is kept out by closing windows and shades.

Customers can save even more with PSEG Long Island Energy Efficiency Programs at https://www.psegliny.com/page.cfm/Efficiency.

PSEG Long Island operates the Long Island Power Authority's transmission and distribution system under a 12-year contract. PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (NYSE: PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company with annual revenues of approximately $11 billion.

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SOURCE PSEG Long Island