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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 our customers’ quality of life. Our numerous ongoing projects are described below. 

Safety

We are using:

  • a machine with advanced automated technology that allows workers to remotely perform key cable-splicing operations, first of its kind for a utility company
  • drones to inspect steam boilers as high as 150 feet; a spherical 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

We are:

  • employing technologies that estimate emissions from non-hazardous leaks in our gas distribution system to repair leaks with the highest natural gas emissions
  • conducting non-intrusive detection for anomalies (disbondment) on the corrosion-protective coating on buried transmission pipes to reduce dielectric fluid leaks
  • collaborating with energy companies and the Department of Homeland Security to review best practices in cybersecurity at electric-steam generating plants and at our gas facilities
  • endeavoring 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 the integration of solar and other distributed energy resources

Customer Experience

We have:

  • installed advanced steam-heating control in a Long Island City building that lets occupants use a smart wall thermostat to schedule their desired apartment temperature, giving customers control to save money and increase comfort
  • implemented testing software that can provide financial incentives to customers who charge their electric vehicles during our system’s off-peak periods and we are deploying the Connect DER meter collar to facilitate customer installations of solar generation; the meter collar fits right onto the Con Edison electric meter, obviating the need for a separate device to meter the output of the solar panels and renewable energy credits generated
  • worked 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
  • been pursuing improvements to residential natural gas detector technology since 2014 that includes lowering the technology’s detection level; in 2016, New York City enacted Local Law 157, requiring the Department of Buildings to create standards and regulation for widespread customer adoption, and we are working with the agency to do so
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