PSEG reports 1,500 power outages, as electricity use soars

PSEG Long Island is moving to avoid maxing out the electric grid amid failures of two major power cables and reduced capacity on a third, urging customers to cut "all nonessential" usage Friday afternoon.

Noting the heat index could reach 104 degrees, PSEG said it was taking steps to address "capacity concerns" by "urging all customers on Long Island and the Rockaways to reduce electric use as much as possible during the peak" from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday.

The utility hadn't made such a request in twenty years, and it came as the forecast for electric use on Friday crept up to 5,100 megawatts, a LIPA official said.

PSEG was reporting just over 1,500 outages at 3:15 p.m. Friday, as the utility entered an expected period of peak power usage, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The bulk of the outages were in Montauk, where 928 customers were without power.

In Montauk, a summer peak hot spot, PSEG has employed temporary power generators and a battery storage unit as it works to fortify the grid.

PSEG is planning an offshore wind farm to increase electric supply the area.

Long Island customers at 2:45 p.m. were drawing 4,984 megawatts of the total 5,948 megawatts available to the island, according to a real-time dashboard by the New York Independent System Operator, which manages the state grid.

PSEG is urging customers to eliminate "ALL" nonessential electric use, to run air conditioners "only if needed for health reasons" and to use fans instead of AC.

For those who need AC, PSEG is recommending that thermostats be set to 78 degrees.

PSEG is asking customers not use pool pumps, washing machines and dishwashers from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

It’s also recommending that customers close blinds and drapes "to keep out the sun’s heat."

PSEG said it had notified state and local emergency management authorities and lawmakers of the measures.

Newsday reported Wednesday that two power cables with a total capacity of more than 1,200 megawatts have failed in recent weeks, and won’t be back online for a month to 10 weeks.

That capacity is about 20% of the possible summer peak for Long Island.

Peak load on Thursday hit 5,114 megawatts, which, though not a record, exceeded usage of 4,800 megawatts to 5,000 megawatts PSEG had projected earlier this week.

PSEG already has announced demand-reduction measures for certain commercial and residential users to voluntarily reduce usage during the highest demand times. The users receive incentives to do so.

LIPA and PSEG also took the unusual step of paying for the costs to open and repair a mothballed New York Power Authority power plant in Holtsville so its capacity is available for the local grid during cable failures.

One of the cables that failed, an East Garden City to New Rochelle line known as Y-49, is owned and maintained by NYPA.

The cable has had numerous failures over the years, including four in the past year, LIPA said.

NYPA has said it was working on long-term fixes for the cable.

Another cable that failed, the Y-50 line jointly owned and operated by LIPA and Con Edison, may not be back online until September, officials said.

The Neptune Cable to New Jersey suffered a transformer failure that knocked out half its capacity of 660 megawatts earlier this year, and it won’t be back online until next year.

Each megawatt powers up to 1,000 homes.

By Mark Harrington

mark.harrington@newsday.comMHarringtonNews

Mark Harrington, a Newsday reporter since 1999, covers energy, wineries, Indian affairs and fisheries.