May 27, 2002—Energy efficiency programs played a crucial role in helping to respond to electric system reliability concerns last year, according to a new study by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).
This national study identified a number of states that had special “reliability-focused energy efficiency programs” in operation during 2001. In just three key areas where reliability problems were most significant (California, New York, and the Pacific Northwest), energy efficiency and conservation efforts reduced peak demand by more than 4,300 megawatts — equivalent to approximately fifteen medium-sized power plants.
From this study ACEEE produced a new report, “Energy Efficiency and Electric System Reliability: A Look at Reliability-Focused Energy Efficiency Programs Used to Help Address the Electricity Crisis of 2001.” The main text is available in PDF format through ACEEE’s Web site.
