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R&D/Innovation

Report Introduction

R&D/Innovation

Innovative spirit and hard work are two of our company’s greatest assets. Our research and development teams work diligently to find solutions that make the workplace safer and improve the quality of life for our customers. Here are some of our ongoing projects:

Safety

  • A machine using advanced robotic technology to allow workers to remotely perform key cable splicing operations. It would be the first of its kind for a utility company
  • The use of drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) to inspect steam boilers as high as 150 feet. A special cage protects the drone from making contact with the boiler tubes and burners
  • Two ergonomic devices that reduce the risk of back injuries caused by repetitive motion or heavy work. One device is worn over a worker’s clothes, the other clips onto a worker’s belt

Operational Excellence

  • Technologies capable of estimating emissions from non-hazardous leaks in our gas distribution system to give priority to repairing leaks that have the highest natural gas emissions
  • Collaboration with other energy companies and the Department of Homeland Security to review best practices in cybersecurity at electric-steam generating plants
  • A process to better control voltage levels on feeder lines that run from substations to the electric distribution system to increase efficiency, reduce overall energy use, manage energy demand during peak periods, and help facilitate solar and other distributed energy resources

Customer Experience

  • Advanced steam-heating control lets occupants in a Long Island City building use a smart wall thermostat to schedule their desired apartment temperature. This will save customers money, give customers control, and increase comfort
  • Testing software that would provide financial incentives to customers who charge their electric vehicles during our system’s off-peak periods
  • Working with the Fire Department of New York on a first-of-its-kind program to test the safety of lithium ion and other battery chemistries before they are installed in large city buildings

We began placing methane detectors in homes in 2016. Methane detectors have been effective in alerting residents to natural gas leaks and enhancing public safety. One of our Bronx customers, Pearl Alleyne, says her home methane detector saved her life.