ISO New England announces energy conservation program

HOLYOKE (BUSINESS WIRE) — ISO New England Inc., operator of the region’s bulk
electric power grid, announced that NEPOOL has filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) an energy conservation program designed to encourage reduced
consumption of electricity during peak demand periods and help moderate price
fluctuations in the wholesale electricity market. The program — expected to take
effect in time for summer — could, when fully subscribed, reduce the daily-required
amount of energy by 300-600 megawatts, and could ultimately result in annual savings
in excess of $30 million. “This load response program is another important step
in making the New England electricity market more robust,” William W. Berry, ISO
New England’s Acting CEO, said. “It creates an opportunity for certain users —
those customers capable of 100 kilowatts (kW) interruption or more — to have
more control over their energy costs, promotes conservation and efficiency, and
helps ensure the continued reliability of the system.”