The Suffolk County Water Authority was presented with a check for $108,375 today by the Applied Energy Group (AEG), thanks to its participation in AEG’s “South Fork Peak Savers Program.”
Developed to address the South Fork’s rapidly increasing electric load, the program, administered by AEG, asks PSEGLI’s large volume customers to stop using electricity during certain times of the day, often in the summer, when electrical use is at its peak. SCWA is PSEGLI’s largest consumer of energy because SCWA’s 600 public supply wells rely on electricity to provide water service to more than 1.2 million people county wide.
Thankfully, a number of SCWA wells, including wells on the South Fork, are connected to backup generator power, so the water can keep flowing to Suffolk residents even in the event of an emergency or power outage. Working in conjunction with AEG, SCWA engineers identified 11 pump stations on the South Fork where SCWA had existing generators that were suitable for the program. Only generators that are newer than the year 2000 are eligible. Several of these generators were installed in recent years under the storm mitigation loan project from the Environmental Facilities Corporation.
“We’re happy to take part in the Peak Savers Program because it’s really a win for everybody,” SCWA CEO Jeffrey W. Szabo said. “We get to test our generators on the South Fork and make sure we’re prepared in the event of an emergency, and lighten the load on the electric grid when it’s really stressed.”
Szabo added that the revenue SCWA earns from participating in the Peak Savers Program will help keep water rates low for SCWA customers. Payments for participation are $100 per kilowatt curtailed per year. SCWA was also be paid $25,000 as an enrollment incentive and receives a $2,500 fuel stipend for its generators. Over the last three years SCWA has generated $323,661 in revenue by participating in the South Fork Peak Savers program.
The Suffolk County Water Authority is an independent public-benefit corporation operating under the authority of the Public Authorities Law of the State of New York. Serving approximately 1.2 million Suffolk County residents, the Authority operates without taxing power on a not-for-profit basis.
Caption info: Applied Energy Group President Tim Maslak (left) presents a check for $108,375 to SCWA Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Operations Joseph Pokorny at SCWA Headquarters in Oakdale.