PSEG Long Island Activates Voluntary ‘Smart Savers Thermostat Program’ to Create Savings for Customers and Help Reduce Electric Demand During Extreme Temperatures

(UNIONDALE, N.Y. — July 20, 2022) With temperatures of 90 degrees and above forecasted for the rest of the week and into the weekend, PSEG Long Island will be activating its voluntary Smart Savers Thermostat Program today to help create future savings for customers. The company also encourages its customers to be prepared for the extreme heat.

PSEG Long Island continues to expect to have enough electric capacity to meet customer demand for the high temperatures and high humidity. While there are no capacity concerns, PSEG Long Island is planning to activate its voluntary Smart Savers Thermostat program to reduce loading on the system, which helps create future savings for customers.

“Customers with smart thermostats who choose to enroll in this program are helping everyone in the service area by allowing us to reduce the peak demand on some of the hottest days,” said Michael Voltz, director of energy efficiency and renewable energy for PSEG Long Island. “This saves them money today and it will help generate savings for customers in the future.”

PSEG Long Island must purchase power in advance, basing the amount on load forecasts and state-mandated capacity requirements that incorporate peak-usage levels from previous years. By reducing peak usage this year, the company lowers the amount of power that must be purchased in advance for next summer.

Approximately 27,500 customers who have elected to participate in this program may experience on- and off-cycling of their central air conditioning systems, or a small increase in temperature, between the hours of 4 and 7 p.m.

Activating the Smart Savers Thermostat program also allows PSEG Long Island to maintain an up-to-date assessment of the program’s capability to reduce demand on peak load days.

To limit the impact of hot weather and better manage electric usage, customers should use power as efficiently as possible to keep cool and keep energy costs down. PSEG Long Island recommends the following measures:

• Set home thermostats or air conditioner units to 78 degrees.
• Run major appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers and pool pumps, in the morning or late evening to avoid the peak demand hours of 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Set refrigerators and freezers at most-efficient temperatures.
• Do not cool an empty house. Set your thermostat higher when you are away, or use a smart thermostat to control the temperature in your home. Customers can receive an incentive on qualifying thermostats for enrolling in PSEG Long Island’s Smart Savers Thermostat program, which can be used to control usage during peak summer days. Visit https://www.psegliny.com/smartsavers for more details.
• Commercial customers may sign up for the Commercial System Relief program. Visit https://www.psegliny.com/contactus/businessandcommercialsavings/csrp for more details.
• Close blinds and draperies facing the sun to keep out the sun’s heat.
• Ceiling fans cool fast and cost less than air conditioning. (In hot weather, set your ceiling fan to spin quickly, counterclockwise to push air downward toward the floor.)
• Seal holes and cracks around doors and windows with caulk or weather-stripping.
• Replace old appliances with new energy efficient ENERGY STAR® appliances
• Replace air filters monthly. Dirty filters make your air conditioner work harder.

High temperatures and high electric demand can sometimes cause scattered, heat-related outages. PSEG Long Island will have additional personnel available to address outages safely and as quickly as possible.

Stay connected:

• Download the PSEG Long Island mobile app to report outages and receive information on restoration times, crew locations and more
• To report an outage and receive status updates via text, text OUT to PSEGLI (773454) or visit us online at www.psegliny.com/outages
• To report an outage or downed wire call PSEG Long Island’s 24-hour Electric Service number: 800-490-0075
• Follow PSEG Long Island on Facebook and Twitter to report an outage and for updates before, during and after a storm
• Visit PSEG Long Island’s outage information across Long Island and the Rockaways online at https://mypowermap.psegliny.com
  
  
  
  

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PSEG Long Island operates the Long Island Power Authority’s transmission and distribution system under a long-term contract. PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company.