Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel, and six of his colleagues, wrote to Energy Secretary Steven Chu supporting the application of the New York Independent System Operators (NYISO) for Smart Grid Investment Grant Program (SGIGP) funding. This funding will assist components of a modernized electric transmission and distribution system delivering detailed, real-time information about energy use to customers. (The letter is attached.)

Rep. Engel, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said, “The smart grid will improve the energy efficiency in our homes, businesses, and public institutions. It will provide direct benefits to energy consumers, create new jobs in New York that advance the new clean energy economy, and will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. I urge the Department of Energy to provide the necessary funding for these worthy initiatives in our great state.”

Rep. Engel said: “The smart grid will reduce costs and enhance power quality and service reliability for all New Yorkers. It will allow utility companies and consumers to continuously monitor and adjust their electricity use, while providing a pricing and control system to flexibly integrate new renewable energy resources such as solar and wind power, energy storage devices and electric vehicles. A smarter grid also will help minimize interruptions in electrical service during storms and other routine power outages.”

The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) operates New York's bulk electricity grid, administers the state's wholesale electricity markets, and provides comprehensive reliability planning for the state's bulk electricity system. NYISO is a not-for-profit corporation which began operating in 1999.

The Smart Grid Investment Grant Program is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The overall purpose of the Smart Grid Investment Grant Program is to accelerate the modernization of the nation’s electric transmission and distribution systems and promote investments in smart grid technologies, tools, and techniques that increase flexibility, functionality, interoperability, cyber-security, situational awareness, and operational efficiency.

The letter was also signed by Reps. Nita Lowey, Joe Crowley, John Hall, Paul Tonko, Mike McMahon, and Eric Massa.



August 12, 2009

Dr. Steven Chu
Secretary of Energy
1000 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20585

Dear Secretary Chu:

We write in strong support of the New York Independent System Operators (NYISO) applications for the Smart Grid Investment Grant Program through the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, #DE-FOA-0000058.

We believe that New York State represents a microcosm of our national grid challenges, and thus is an ideal laboratory for smart grid investment. Upstate New York has widely distributed power consumers and access to generation from diverse sources such as hydro, nuclear, and wind. Downstate New York faces some of the nation’s most serious congestion and capacity challenges, due in part to the difficulties in adding new generation or transmission capability.

While we generally support the smart grid initiatives submitted by the New York electric utilities, we are particularly united by our staunch support for the following projects that demonstrate significant state-wide benefits:

• Phasor Measurement Units (PMU). In collaboration with all the New York State utilities and the NYISO, this project includes the deployment of a significant number of PMUs throughout the state. PMUs are high-speed, time-synchronized digital recorders that measure voltage, current and frequency on the electric power transmission system and calculate voltage and current magnitudes, phase angles and real and reactive power flows. Installation of PMUs would improve the ability to assess condition of the bulk power system on a real-time basis thereby improving systemic reliability, preventing or reducing the severity of potential blackouts, and allowing for a more accurate and efficient power dispatch.

• Capacitor Banks. This project includes the installation of transmission capacitor banks at strategic locations throughout the state that would allow the NYISO to operate the transmission grid more effectively and efficiently. The additional capacitors in strategic locations would raise voltage levels on the bulk system so that transfer capability remains high, meaning that it would reduce the amount of reactive power required to be produced by generators, reduce systemic losses, and free up transfer capacity on the bulk transmission system.

We strongly support the efforts of the New York utilities and the NYISO to deploy smart grid technology throughout the state, and trust that the above-listed applications will receive the favorable consideration they deserve.

Sincerely yours,



/s/ /s/
Eliot L. Engel Paul D. Tonko
MEMBER OF CONGRESS MEMBER OF CONGRESS



/s/ /s/
Nita Lowey Joseph Crowley
MEMBER OF CONGRESS MEMBER OF CONGRESS



/s/ /s/
John Hall Michael E. McMahon
MEMBER OF CONGRESS MEMBER OF CONGRESS



/s/
Eric Massa
MEMBER OF CONGRESS