Summer 2011 Media Release

Comprehensive Assessment Forecasts

Adequate Electricity Supplies for this Summer

(Assessment covers New England, the City and State of New York and Eastern Canada)

The Northeast Power Coordinating Council, Inc. (NPCC) today released the results of its annual summer reliability assessment. The comprehensive assessment projects that the region will have an adequate supply of electricity this summer.

The forecast NPCC coincident peak demand (the simultaneous peak demand for the entire region) for this summer is slightly higher than last summer’s forecast.

“This forecast reflects the gradual economic recovery that’s underway combined with the offsetting benefits from ongoing conservation, efficiency and demand response programs,” said Edward Schwerdt, President and CEO of NPCC. Factoring in new generating units as well as unit re-ratings and retirements, NPCC expects to have over 1,800 megawatts (MW) of net additional generating resources since the summer peak period of last year. “This increase in generating capacity is comfortably more than the overall NPCC increase in forecasted electricity demand,” added Schwerdt.

For New York City and throughout New York State, an adequate supply of electricity is forecast. Ontario and New England are also projected to have sufficient resources. In addition, Québec and the Canadian Maritime Provinces are expected to meet forecasted electricity demand by a wide margin. Both of these areas are winter peaking.

“The NPCC assessment utilized probabilistic methods to evaluate thousands of simulated weather and system conditions. The simulations included stressed operating conditions, such as unexpected generating plant outages, transmission constraints between and within regions, the unavailability of peak load relief from demand-response programs, and delays in the expected in-service dates of planned generation and transmission projects,” said Schwerdt.

The assessment also concluded that only under the unusual situation of severe system conditions occurring coincidently with extreme weather conditions, such as a prolonged heat wave with high humidity and near-record temperatures, would the implementation of a limited number of operating procedures and programs be considered in the New York City vicinity and New England to keep electricity supplies and demand in balance.

A summary of the NPCC 2011 Summer Reliability Assessment is available at: www.npcc.org

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