Responding to pleas from the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), the U.S. Department of Energy last Friday issued an emergency order directing Cross Sound Cable Co. to temporarily operate a 24-mile, 330 MW underwater cable system linking Connecticut to Long Island. The DOE said that activation of the cable will alleviate the emergency supply situation caused by the area’s recent heat wave.

The order, which expires on Oct. 1, directs that the operation of the cable shall be a last resort after terminating service to interruptible customers, appealing to the public for conservation, reducing 30 minute reserves to zero, and implementing voltage reductions consistent with good utility practice.

The temporary use of this line will benefit both Connecticut and Long Island, the DOE said. The line is capable of sending power in both directions providing emergency power to the citizens of both states in the event of extreme, extended demand increases or equipment failures.

The DOE noted that the Corps of Engineers and other parties have stated that operation of the line as currently constructed raises no navigational or environmental concerns. The order does not affect Cross Sound Cable’s obligations following the expiration of DOE’s order to complete its compliance with all relevant permits.

“I am extremely grateful to the Department of Energy for acting so quickly and favorably on our request,” said LIPA Chairman Richard Kessel in a prepared response. “As we’ve seen from this past week, the region is experiencing record energy consumption and, at times, power had to be imported into Connecticut.”

Kessel said that the DOE’s order gives grid operators in New York and New England “an extra weapon in their arsenal to keep the lights on for the remainder of the summer.”

The DOE’s decision also drew swift praise from ISO New England. “ISO New England is pleased the DOE recognizes the importance of making the Cross Sound Cable available for power system emergencies through Oct. 1, 2002,” said Stephen Whitley, chief operating officer for the grid operator. “This summer’s unprecedented hot weather and sustained weather pattern, as well as the record level electricity usage across New England has compelled ISO New England to consider the use of the Cross Sound Cable during emergency conditions.”

Whitley said that during the present heat wave, New England has been a net importer of electricity from New York. During ISO New England’s recordbreaking hour on Aug. 14, New England used 800 MW of New York-produced electricity to meet demand. Whitley noted that while it is widely believed that power will flow only in one direction on the Cross Sound Cable, it is designed for two-way use.

He went on to say that ISO New England would expect to use the Cross Sound Cable only as a last resort to prevent blackouts in New England. “The operation of the cable may potentially assist New York in times of surplus capacity in New England, but we would not allow the Cable to be used to export electricity from New England if doing so would violate system operating criteria,” Whitley said.

In making its request to the DOE, LIPA cited the emergency regional power conditions created by the heat wave that has gripped much of the Northeast in August. Cross Sound Cable originally planned to have the cable ready to be energized this summer, but has since said that it will not operate the cable prior to Oct. 1.

In its request to the DOE, LIPA had asked that Cross Sound Cable operate the cable and accept schedules for transmission from LIPA on a day-ahead basis when LIPA forecasts that its generation reserve margin on Long Island will be less than 600 MW in excess of its anticipated load for that day. The 600 MW margin, which is still less than the statewide required planning reserve of 18% of forecast load, is equal to the capacity of one of the existing transmission cables between Long Island and mainland New York.

Prior to Friday’s decision, ISO New England was joined by regulators in New York state in supporting LIPA’s bid at the DOE.

“When one balances the environmental cost of operating the line under these circumstances against the social and economic costs of requiring the line to remain dormant, the case for granting LIPA’s request is compelling,” the New York Department of Public Service (DPS) said in an Aug. 15 letter to the DOE. “The environmental cost of granting LIPA’s petition is minimal because the impact of operating the line is minor and the extremely limited environmental consequences associated with the line’s construction have already been experienced.”

In addition, the New York DPS said the economic and social cost of denying LIPA’s request and allowing the line to remain inactive in the face of LIPA’s expected load possibly exceeding capacity “is potentially astronomical.” The DPS argued that “there can be no denying the fact that a razor-thin reserve margin for an area the size of Long Island constitutes an emergency. Indeed, experience shows that a power outage for hundreds, much less thousands or even millions, of customers would seriously threaten the public health and safety.”

ISO New England also backed LIPA’s request to the DOE. “We believe that during this period of unprecedented weather and electricity usage, using the Cross Sound Cable on an emergency basis to avert a systemwide disaster would be the prudent action to take,” ISO New England spokesperson Ellen Foley told NGI.

But LIPA’s request to the DOE drew a sharp response from Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who has fought the Cross Sound Cable project tooth and nail on the grounds that it will harm the environment.

“I will aggressively fight this power grab, and I call on our Congressional delegation and other state officials to join me,” Blumenthal said on Thursday. “We will go to court if necessary to stop illegal federal action autocratically overriding valid state authority that is protecting our consumers and environment.” Blumenthal had urged Abraham to reject LIPA’s request.

Also weighing in with comments to the DOE prior to Friday’s decision were: FERC, the governors of Connecticut and New York, the North American Electric Reliability Council, the Northeast Power Coordinating Council and the New York Independent System Operator. Cross Sound Cable and the Army Corps of Engineers- New England District also commented on LIPA’s request.

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