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Our support for installation of over 12,200 EV charging plugs is helping New York State meet CLCPA goals.
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Currently totaling 30 MW, our battery storage projects are part of the groundwork needed for an affordable energy transition.
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We avoided over 4.4 billion liters of fugitive methane emissions through our gas main leak repair programs.
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We are committed to providing energy to our millions of customers safely, efficiently, and responsibly. In 2024, we invested about $2.6 billion to fortify our electric infrastructure. These investments fund our development of tools, techniques, and strategies to improve safety, address problems, increase efficiency, and reduce our environmental impact. Our work maintaining and upgrading our systems enables us to provide the dependable service our customers expect and rely on. In turn, helping us maintain our exemplary reliability performance – a core tenet of our operations.
The fuel mix that produces the electricity delivered through our networks is determined by the New York Independent System Operator. We are committed to advancing a clean energy future and continue to support New York’s ambitious goals to transition to a low-carbon, clean energy future, which include 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and 100% carbon-free power by 2040.
Figure 5
CECONY is a recognized leader in electric reliability performance: exceeding both national and New York State standards, CECONY’s 2024 overall reliability was 99.997% or nine times better than the national average.
Measured per 1,000 customers served, we benchmark our reliability performance using the following metrics:
The time it takes to address system outages varies according to the reason for the outage. In all cases, we do our best to return service safely and as quickly as possible.
Figure 6
The bulk of our underground transmission system (about 75%) comprises 690 miles of 69, 138, and 345 kilovolt feeders encased in dielectric fluid-filled steel pipe. This set-up enables us to deliver immense amounts of electricity safely and reliably in the types of congested urban environments that characterize much of our service territory. We are increasing the capacity and strength of our transmission infrastructure by adding cable and substations, as well as by refurbishing existing pipes. In 2024, we refurbished 4,200 feet of our underground dielectric fluid-filled electric transmission feeder pipes. In 2025, we plan to invest $35 million to refurbish over 3,500 feet of leak-prone feeder pipes. These actions will both improve reliability and play a key role in helping us fulfill our commitment to building a resilient grid that is capable of delivering 100% clean, reliable energy by 2040. A further fundamental component of maintaining the reliability of our system is to manage leaks; we use sophisticated leak detection methods, including:
Our Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) uses a network of millions of electric smart meters. The network has enabled us to implement Conservation Voltage Optimization (CVO), which has reduced our customers’ energy consumption by about 1.5% since 2022. Our customers are able to monitor their energy usage in near real-time using smart meters, enabling them to make more informed decisions about their energy usage. We will continue to pursue further energy savings through system optimization efforts.
Our risk reduction strategy comprises prevention, detection, and mitigation measures:
Prevention: We follow a “replace before failure” strategy focused on targeted component replacement of aging cables and splices on distribution feeders. For example, using machine learning, we employ data from our AMI network to identify distribution equipment in need of replacement so we can remove it from service before it fails.
We also collaborated with a transformer manufacturer to develop a more reliable, oil-free network transformer design. In 2024, we installed 74 of these transformers, which will greatly reduce both the risk of fire and release of dielectric fluid to the environment in case of failure.
We have reduced our SF6 emissions from their 1996 baseline by over 98%, and remain committed to further reductions (see figure 7). We established a five-year plan at the start of 2020 to reduce our target SF6 emissions by 500 pounds annually. This rate exceeds the 5% annual target established in our 1999 memorandum of understanding with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We have achieved our targeted reduction plan every year since 2020. We remain committed to continue reducing our SF6 emissions through the following actions:
Figure 7
The above chart shows the leakage rate (pounds of SF6 leaked divided by the nameplate capacity of the system), which is based on the percentage of the total amount of SF6 gas in the electric equipment (nameplate capacity) of our electric system. The data is presented this way so that our performance can be compared to other electric systems that might be larger or smaller.
Detection: CECONY’s Safety Inspection Program scans our underground networks and system assets 12 times a year. In 2024, we eliminated 8,166 cases of contact voltage; in 90% of these, we disconnected the equipment according to procedure and referred the case to the appropriate party, such as the Department of Transportation for streetlights.
Performed on a five-year cycle, O&R’s Stray Voltage Program inspects and tests 20% of its distribution assets each year. For increased safety, streetlights and transmission facilities are inspected yearly. In 2024, O&R performed 37,856 inspections and 36,120 tests.
Mitigation: We actively pursue new technologies to enhance the safety and reliability of our distribution system. For example, we developed a submersible underground interrupter device that automatically isolates faulty sections of underground feeders in fractions of a second, thus keeping the reliable sections of a feeder in service. In 2024, CECONY installed 24 interrupters and anticipates installing a similar number in 2025. In 2026 and for the foreseeable future, CECONY plans to install more than 50 interrupters per year.
The interrupter device was specially developed for CECONY to address the technical challenges of managing higher fault currents. Integration of interrupters into our system has proven to be a vital strategy for maintaining the resiliency of the underground network. Looking ahead, this advancement will help CECONY manage demand issues driven by rising air temperatures, extended heat waves, and increased energy consumption resulting from building electrification, the adoption of EVs, and the addition of new customers.
Through our Vented Cover Program, we equip underground structures with vented or vented latched covers. These covers effectively dissipate gases produced during cable faults, thereby minimizing the risk of pressure reaching unsafe levels. Thus far we have equipped about 50% of our underground structures with vented or vented latched covers, and will continue this work at a rate of 1,000 per year.
Electric Operations has a dedicated department that oversees the planning, execution, and reporting of inspections and contact voltage programs to remain in regulatory compliance with New York State Electric Safety Standard requirements.
Our Emergency Preparedness Team plays a critical role in maintaining our ability to efficiently and effectively respond to emergencies. This team is responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing strategies to safeguard the operations, infrastructure, and customer service of our electric system from the effects of adverse events, and thus preserve the stability and reliability of electricity service for our customers when they need it most. CECONY’s and O&R’s Electric Emergency Response Plans include the following elements and more: