CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE

Faced with the expected 90-degree plus temperatures and high humidity, the New York Power Authority has activated a program to reduce electricity demand from its New York City governmental customers.

Richard M. Kessel, president and chief executive officer of the authority, said Wednesday the peak reduction initiative, planned for the first time this summer, calls for commitments to lower electricity use at 67 locations during the highest-demand days of the air-conditioning season.

“Today’s electricity-demand reduction event is part of our efforts for ensuring reliability of electricity service during those periods when the power grid is most challenged,” Kessel said. “Summer is when electricity use spikes sharply and the margins between electricity supplies and power demand become tighter.”

Kessel noted that across the state the summer peak demand can increase 80 percent above the average level of electricity use, for the additional consumption of up to 15,000 megawatts.

The peak reduction option can be activated up to 15 weekdays from June 1 to Sept. 30. The reductions are limited from two to six hours, between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.