Home / Business and Economy / Con Edison CEO: Grid needs upgrades for heat waves
Con Edison CEO: Grid needs upgrades for heat waves
24 Jun
Summary
- Grid equipment must be upsized to endure longer, hotter heat waves.
- New York needs better use of solar, batteries, and demand response.
- Electrification of transport and heating drive load growth, not data centers.
Consolidated Edison CEO Tim Cawley announced that the utility's grid equipment requires upsizing to withstand prolonged and intense heat waves, while avoiding a complete system redesign. Speaking on Tuesday, Cawley highlighted that New York can enhance efficiency and manage costs by optimizing rooftop solar, battery storage, and demand response programs.
Cawley indicated that Con Edison is experiencing some demand increase from data centers, but it is significantly smaller than that seen by other utilities. The main contributors to load growth continue to be the electrification of transportation and heating systems.
Furthermore, Cawley expressed support for utility-owned, large-scale renewable energy projects, particularly those located upstate and connected to downstate demand centers via transmission lines. He also noted the potential of artificial intelligence and enhanced real-time grid visibility to further improve operations, reduce emissions, and lower customer bills.
