Uniondale, N .Y. -- Long Island Power Authority President and CEO, Kevin S. Law announced that the LIPA Board of Trustees approved power purchase agreements (PPAs) with BP Solar and enXco Development Corp. thereby creating the state’s largest source of solar power on Long Island. LIPA’s Solar Energy Project will introduce approximately 50MW of renewable energy generated on Long Island onto LIPA’s electric grid, enough to power 6,500 households and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20,000 tons per year as well as reducing other greenhouse gases.

“Today’s approval is great news for Long Island and the entire state of New York,” LIPA President and CEO Kevin S. Law said. “LIPA’s Solar Energy Project is the largest solar project in New York State. I have kept my commitment to Long Island and LIPA’s customers to invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency, to diversify our energy portfolio, to reduce our use and dependence on fossil fuels, to stimulate the local economy, to create clean energy jobs, and to help build the solar industry.

The project emanates from Governor David A. Paterson’s Renewable Energy Task Force and furthers the Governor’s 45x15 initiative which established a goal for the state to meet 45 percent of its electricity needs through improved energy efficiency and renewable sources by the year 2015. “I commend Governor Paterson for his leadership in establishing a robust clean energy economy in New York State,” said Law.

LIPA will enter into PPAs with BP Solar and enXco Development Corp to provide 32MW and 17MW of energy, respectively, along with RECs and capacity from their projects. BP Solar will construct its ground-mounted solar system at Brookhaven National Laboratory at a cost of $298 million over the contracted 20-year term. enXco will install solar systems on car ports within existing parking lots, at railroad stations and other facilities owned by Suffolk County owned parking lots at a cost of $125 million over the contracted 20-year term. Both PPAs require the companies to construct, operate and maintain the project and achieve full operation by mid 2011.

The effect of the costs of The Long Island Solar Energy Project to LIPA customers is equivalent to approximately .83 cents per month per customer. To defray some of the costs of the solar project, LIPA is actively pursuing funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in the amount of $15 million dollars and has already secured federal appropriations from Congressman Steve Israel in the amount of $1.75 million. “LIPA's 50 megawatt solar project is a giant leap forward for Long Island. It will create solar energy jobs for Long Islanders rather than sending more of our energy jobs overseas to China. This project will create new opportunities for our local clean energy economy. I'm proud to have secured $1.75 million in federal funding to support this program," said Rep. Israel. LIPA will continue to pursue additional funding opportunities on the state and federal level.


LIPA, a non-profit municipal electric provider, owns the retail electric Transmission and Distribution System on Long Island and provides electric service to more than 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. LIPA is the 2nd largest municipal electric utility in the nation in terms of electric revenues, 3rd largest in terms of customers served and the 7th largest in terms of electricity delivered. In 2006, LIPA outperformed all other overhead electric utilities in New York State in all three major reliability categories. LIPA does not provide natural gas service or own any on-island generating assets. More information about LIPA can be found online at: www.lipower.org