Power down or go without

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NY Gov. Pataki have called on city and state agencies to reduce power consumption during the anticipated heat wave over the next few days - opting out of mandating private companies to follow suit.

However, according to an article in today's NY Times some larger power users are being rewarded for power they don't use during peak demand times. "It is an arrangement that seems to benefit everybody, said David Lawrence, who oversees demand response programs for New York Independent System Operator, even though far from every eligible company in the state takes advantage. 'Getting businesses interested and recognizing that it’s economically feasible is probably the biggest barrier,' he said. 'It’s tough to change that mentality.' Con Edison has its own program to enlist its largest customers to cut back when demand is at its highest. During a heat wave like the one this week, even a real estate firm can become a source of the city’s power."

On a residential level, NY city officials have "urged residents to stay out of the sun, drink lots of fluids and avoid strenuous activities" - they've also waived all admission fees to beaches today and tomorrow.