As "the Chairman's baby," the New York Power Authority's (NYPA) High Efficiency Lighting Program (HELP) is one of the most aggressive programs of its kind. NYPA began the program in June 1990 for its retail customers in Southeast New York (SENY). Now the program has been expanded to government facilities statewide, and to schools on Long Island, New York.

To date, in the SENY region alone, over one hundred million dollars have been committed to the program and annual energy savings achieved to date with gross expenditures of $15.7 million are 40.5 GWh and 8.7 MW. When all SENY projects in various stages of completion are considered, the total cost (NYPA's share plus the customer's share) of more than $55 million, will result in annual energy savings of 151 GWh and 30.9 MW.

NYPA's HELP is a turnkey program that is offered to NYPA customers, to government facilities, and to schools on Long Island at no risk and with no cash outlay. In addition to providing consulting services for customers to analyze lighting loads and potentials for energy efficiency, NYPA will guarantee a three-year payback on its retrofits and will finance entire retrofits through its Conservation Loan Bank. Loan payments are recouped through customers' monthly bills. NYPA oversees the whole job from start to finish, from audit to installation and inspection, providing the customer with a high degree of service.

To date, the Power Authority has burst beyond its initial projections for the program for both savings and expenditures. Sixteen months into the program, over 50% of the five-year SENY budget was committed and over 50% of the five-year projected savings were identified through about 140 facility audits. By June 1990, SENY audits had identified 32 MW and associated energy savings of 157 GWh annually with an associated project cost of $53 million. These installations will be complete by the end of 1993. To date over $25 million has been formally committed to the project representing 85 retrofits that will save 17 MW and 80 GWh annually.[R#10]

The statewide HELP program, which began in earnest in June 1991, has also logged impressive results. As of September 1992 audits had been performed at 45 facilities and 14 MW of peak demand and 60 GWh of annual savings potential had been identified at a total project cost (including investor-owned utilities' rebates) of $20 million. The Long Island School program is also on track, having begun in January 1992, with 70 facilities audited revealing savings of 6 MWp and 14 GWh at a cost of more than $9 million.

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