Innovation is an integral part of PSEG Long Island’s commitment to being a modern day utility . From using new technology to provide exceptional customer service, to upgrading our transmission and distribution systems and improving the electrical grid, we’re always looking at what’s ahead for the industry; which is why we’re investing in those who are shaping its future—students.

Over the past two years, we’ve partnered with Stony Brook University to fund Stony Brook University Exploration in STEM Research, a 10-week-long summer program for college students in relevant majors. The program is geared towards freshmen and sophomores who would not necessarily have the opportunity to do research, according to PSEG Foundation education program officer Lisa Gleason.

“A lot of these students would have to spend their summers working in order to help fund school,” Gleason said. “Through this program, we’re able to engage and excite these students who might not otherwise have time or access to this type of research.”

The PSEG Foundation, a separate 501(c)(3) entity through which PSEG provides grants to charitable organizations, has committed almost $300,000 to the program to fund housing, materials and provide a stipend for participating students. In order to participate, students must come up with a research proposal, find a faculty member to act as a mentor throughout the summer, and submit an application, which is reviewed by a faculty selection committee. The committee accepts roughly 20 students per summer.

“It’s like these students have a job, but instead they’re gaining experience in their field,” Gleason said, adding that while STEM is relatively broad, the program is geared towards those with engineering concentrations.

Recently, we sat down with three of the students from the program to talk about their work and future careers in STEM.

Tahseen Tabassum
Hometown: Jamaica, Queens via Bangladesh
Year / Major: Junior / Chemical and molecular engineering with a minor in physics

Tahseen Tabassum has always been fascinated by 3D printers since the machinery became popular a few years ago. In working with her professor Dr. Taejin Kim, Tabassum spent her summer designing and creating reactors using 3D printing. The small, plastic apparatuses are used to run chemicals through in order to measure an organic reaction and therefore, a release of energy.

“I design the reactors in Auto-CAD, which then produces data that we can analyze to determine what reactors will work best and for which chemicals,” she said.

Additionally, being able to print the reactors saves money, as the materials for printing are much less expensive than purchasing the devices from a company.

“Reactors are used in just about every aspect of engineering,” she added. “I could use this skill in process engineering (related to the oil industry), cosmetic engineering, traditional chemical engineering – anything, really.”

But perhaps the most helpful part of the program, she said, was a seminar called “Communicating Science,” where faculty and alumni worked with students to take their complicated and technical research and relay it in a more simple but attention-grabbing way.

“The entire experience was awesome,” she said. “I hope I get a chance to do it next year.”

Nick St. John
Hometown: Malverne, Long Island
Year / Major: Sophomore / Electrical engineering

From a young age, Nick St. John saw a bright future for himself—literally. Inspired by his father’s career as an electrician, St. John said he has always been interested in not only how light is produced, but why.

His project focused on a process called sonoluminescence, a phenomena where light is created from sound waves. By submerging sound waves in water, bubbles are created. When the bubbles pop, they create light, and possibly, a form of electricity through nuclear fusion, St. John explained.

“One scientist claimed he was able to create energy through this process, which would be huge because you can get a lot of energy out of it without putting very much into it,” he said. “No one’s been able to replicate it since, but I’m trying to.”

The STEM program also provided St. John and his classmates with exposure to writing proposals, networking, and expanding his resume—invaluable skills when job-hunting.

“I’d never written a proposal before this, and didn’t have a ton to put on my resume,” said St. John. “Now, I feel like I’m ahead of the game, professionally and in my classes. A lot of what I’ve learned over the summer has come up in class, just over the past couple of weeks [since school’s been in session].”

Amna Haider
Hometown: Westchester, NY
Year / Major: Junior / Biomedical engineering with a minor in chemistry

Also inspired by the work of her parents—her mother in medicine and her father an engineer—Amna Haider hopes her future will combine the two. As a biomedical engineering major, Haider’s summer research project examined the effect of cocaine on bone composition.

“Throughout the summer we were able to see a measurable, significant difference and decomposition in the rats’ bones,” she said. “The bone strength and density decreased and the bones actually got smaller. It was such a significant difference and so exciting to be able to see that through research.”

This past summer was Haider’s second year with the program, previously creating a video game to help obese patients lose weight. The video game tasked players with making their way through small villages, where they were faced with a physical challenge, before finally reaching—and having to defeat—an evil king.

“The game let us incorporate motions, which we then could measure,” Haider explained. “As the person’s range of motion increased, we could determine whether the game was working and their health was improving.”

Upon graduation, Haider hopes to pursue an M.D. and PhD to work as both a licensed physician and a researcher.

We wish all the students who participated in STEM the best of luck in school this year, and can’t wait to see what next year’s research has in store!

The Question

Long Island has experienced its fair share of disasters – the Pine Barrens blaze, the Blizzard of ’96, Hurricane Irene and most notable, Superstorm Sandy. Living in a complex region that can experience a range of severe weather patterns from heat waves to snow storms presents a unique set of questions; most importantly, are Long Island families prepared?

The Answer

While the utility and other organizations have invested millions of dollars to improve the infrastructure of the area, the unfortunate truth is that 3,000 families are still recovering from the tragic aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. This reality forces us to understand the power of disasters, and know that preparedness doesn’t stop when the storm begins.

As a result, United Way, 2-1-1 Long Island and PSEG Long Island have joined forces to create BeReadyLI, an all-encompassing, mobile friendly website to ensure Long Islanders have access to the best possible resources anywhere, any time. By working with experts in the field, including American Red Cross on Long Island, Health and Welfare Council of Long Island and Island Harvest, the site compiles the most relevant and crucial information for residents to prepare for whatever Mother Nature brings our way.

The website also provides direct and easy access to PSEG Long Island’s storm center, an important resource for customers looking to report a power outage, view outages in their area with the real-time outage map, and stay informed before, during and after a storm—a central piece to effective communication in the event of a disaster.

The timing couldn’t be better. September 1 marks the beginning of National Preparedness Month, a time to remind us that disasters happen and taking action ahead of time is crucial. While there are thousands of people across the island ready to help at a moment’s notice, the best way to keep you and your family safe is to have a plan.

The Plan

From children to seniors to those with special needs, and even pets, BeReadyLI.org is a comprehensive resource that does (most of) the work for you. With just a few clicks, you can access:

• Emergency supply checklists for children, pets and other family members,
• A database of recovery programs and support services
• Critical phone numbers and websites
• Up-to-the-minute weather tracking and outage maps
• Educational videos for children from Sesame Street
• Information specifically geared toward those with special needs

All of this, and more, is aimed at helping our fellow Long Islanders take the first step in planning for the unexpected. But ultimately, every disaster is different—a reality we understand and accept. With that in mind, there is no one-size-fits-all in staying safe. However, a few simple yet effective actions can make a tremendous difference in what happens during, and after disaster strikes.

The Pledge

While no one knows what the next disaster will be, it’s important to take the BeReadyLI pledge today in order to be as prepared as possible. Stay informed, assemble your go-bag, gather your medical records and talk to your entire family – young children, parents, and grandparents included, about creating a family disaster plan.

Long Island is no stranger to disasters and severe weather. Each one provided us with the opportunity to rebuild a strong and supportive community. BeReadyLI won’t stop the next storm. What it will do is arm us all with the tools necessary to remain a strong and supportive community.

 

Theresa A. Regnante is the President & Chief Executive Officer of the United Way of Long Island. Since Regnante took the helm of the non-profit in 2009, she has focused its mission to improve the education, income and health–the building blocks for a good quality life–across the island.

Walk around any neighborhood and look up.  Chances are you’ll see a utility pole with wires and other equipment. And for good reason. Utility poles dot the landscape of every town around the state and most of the country. They form the highway above us that keeps everyday life in order.  In fact, there are about 180 million utility poles across the United States – that’s about one pole for every other person in the country.

Utility poles have been around since the mid-1800s when they were originally erected to carry telegraph wires. The rise of electricity brought a new use to the poles. Outfitted with insulators, the poles could carry electricity from generating stations to individual homes and businesses.  Today these poles are still the backbone of our electrical grid.

Ever wonder how the poles support the delivery of electricity or what these poles hold? Here’s your guide to the anatomy of a pole and some interesting facts you may not already know about them.

PSEG Long Island has 545,068 poles across its service territory. Of that, 324,692 are owned by the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA); 214,977 are owned by Verizon; and 5,399 are consumer-owned. On Long Island, the ownership of the utility poles is established via an agreement between the LIPA and Verizon.

Poles come in different sizes.  Utility poles on the island range between 20 feet and 140 feet tall. The most common PSEG Long Island pole is 35 feet and and there are 256,354 of them.

 

Power lines are not the only wires on a pole.  Wires at the top of the pole deliver your electricity and belong to PSEG Long Island. Wires below the electric portion  deliver your telephone, cable TV and fiber optic services and are owned by those providers.

Transformers help provide the right amount of power for your home or business.  The big barrel that looks like an oil drum is the transformer that reduces voltage so customers can use it. Transformers bring the electricity down to a safe level – enabling our  appliances to work properly.

Power lines don’t actually touch the poles. Instead, insulators – the things that look like dinner plates or cups attached to the line — prevent energized wires from contacting each other. And remember, that if a wire ever comes down, stay away and call PSEG Long Island at 800-490-0075 to report it right away.

Poles are made of wood and are recycled when taken out of use. Most utility poles in the United States are made of southern yellow pine and have a life of approximately 25 to 50 years.  Once they’ve reached their useful lives, poles are burned for energy or recycled, depending on the material used.

So next time you turn on the lights, it’s not magic; it’s that pole outside that safely provides electricity at the flip of a switch.

When PSEG Long Island took the helm of distributing reliable and efficient power to Nassau, Suffolk and the Rockaways in 2014, we’ve had unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction—and according to one global market research company, it’s paying off.

J.D. Power—the recognized industry leader for customer satisfaction—recently released its latest customer satisfaction survey results, ranking PSEG Long Island as the fourth-most improved large utility in the nation. We’ve climbed 26 points from last year to achieve a score of 610, our highest thus far. In 2015, customer satisfaction climbed 52 points, making PSEG Long Island the most improved large utility in the nation.

J.D. Power scores are configured by surveying roughly 300 of our customers each quarter. The surveys include about 40 questions over six different categories to understand how the customer feels about the service, as well as their thoughts and feelings on the company. The results are measured on a 10-point scale, which are then tabulated and compared against peer panel of 16 other large utility companies in the Northeast on a 1,000-point scale.

So, why are we excited about this?

Customer satisfaction is at the heart of everything we do at PSEG Long Island, rooting back to the core of our mission statement:

“To build an industry leading electric company dedicated to providing our Long Island and Rockaways customers with exceptional customer service, best-in-class reliability and storm response as well as a strong level of involvement in the communities in which we live and work.”

We’ve also made a commitment to be in the top 25-percent of electric utility providers in the northeast, because above all, our goal is to make things work for you – plain and simple.

But even with these large and consistent improvements over the past few years, PSEG Long Island remains last among Large East Utilities. We’re determined to change that.

Here’s the plan.

Over the next six months, the company will deliver a number of upgrades and enhancements designed to make it easier and more convenient for customers to do business. Customers will soon see an upgraded and replaced My Account platform; a completely redesigned bill, featuring information to help customers better understand and manage their costs and usage; the ability to pay by text; and a totally revamped balanced billing program, which will allow customers to have a more consistent and predictable balanced payment for 12 consecutive months.

And there’s more.

For us, customer service doesn’t stop at business/consumer relations. In addition to keeping your lights on and making your interactions with us easier and more convenient, nearly every PSEG Long Island employee participates in giving back to the communities we all call home.

Keep an eye out for us across Long Island and be sure to follow our Facebook and Twitter pages to find out the next time we’ll be in your neighborhood.

Fourth of July is a time to celebrate America and all that has been sacrificed in the name of freedom and independence for this country. And while we recognize men like George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison as the Founding Fathers of this country, let us not forget a separate but equally important group of influential men – the Founding Fathers of Energy, to which we owe a world of ever-progressing power and technology.  Along with the contributions of Andres Celsius, Georg Ohm, Isaac Newton, James Joule and James Watts, the following men are just a few of the key players who built the foundation for the energy we use and understand today.

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin’s list of accomplishments and successes vary from his role as a diplomat and politician, to a printer and scientist. Similarly, his contributions to the energy world are vast and diverse. Franklin was the first to notice the similarities between lightning and electricity, a concept that other scientists had dabbled in but never fully explored. Through observing their parallels, Franklin suggested lightning and electricity were one in the same through his famous key and kite experiment. By tying an iron key to a kite during a storm, he was able to attract lightning and send a charge down the kite’s string. This experiment was the inception of the lightning rod, which absorbs the electrical charge from lightning and sends it to the ground, leaving the respective building undamaged.

Albert Einstein

Like his contemporaries, Albert Einstein made significant steps forward in the world of energy throughout his lifetime, most famously for his mathematical equation about the nature of energy: e = mc². Einstein argued that any mass has an equal energy, and any energy has an equal mass. Because ‘c,’ which stands for the speed of light in a vacuum, results in such a large number, the German-born scientist further suggested that mass is a highly concentrated form of energy.

Einstein also played a large part in discovering the photoelectric effect, a phenomenon that occurs when a metallic surface is exposed to an electromagnetic radiation above a certain frequency (like x-rays and visible light). When the radiation meets the metallic surface, the light is absorbed and electrons are emitted.

Thomas Edison

Thomas Alva Edison was another instrumental figure in the progress of energy through the 19^th and 20^th century. Edison learned the fundamentals of energy through his work as a telegraph operator, which lead to his invention of the stock ticker, the world’s first electricity-based broadcast system.

However, Edison’s most well-known invention was the light bulb. Although not the first form of electric light, (that can be credited to Humphry Davy in 1802) the light bulb was the first mass-produced, commercial form of light. Later, Edison went on to develop a system of electric-power generation and distribution and founded the Edison Illuminating Company, one of the first companies to eventually become part of Con Ed. His first power station was on Pearl Street in Manhattan, providing electricity to 59 customers in lower Manhattan.

Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla was not only an innovator in the world of energy, but his work also elevated the contributions of other great scientists like Edison and Franklin. Tesla’s inventions ranged from the inception of radio, the remote control, x-rays, neon signs and more; but perhaps his most influential work was the invention of AC power and the AC motor, which is used to run household appliances like washers and dryers. His goal was to power a motor solely through alternating currents. To do this, Tesla patented a rotating magnetic field that would allow alternating current to power an engine without being converted into a direct current first. This process was later used to create AC generators and transformers.

These are just four of the powerful figures who helped create and support many of the electric devices we use today. Have a favorite scientist responsible for your go-to gadget? Share your energy inspiration in the comment section and see the links below for more information.

For more information, check out the links below:

Benjamin Franklin

Nikola Tesla

Thomas Edison

Albert Einstein

Mike Voltz – Director of Energy Efficiency and Renewables, PSEG Long Island

Summer is officially here and families across Long Island are starting to shake out last year’s beach towels and blow up pool toys in anticipation of the warm weather. But higher temperatures can often mean higher energy bills, as the need for air conditioning and fans increases.

Don’t sweat it – these tips can help you save money and energy this season.

• PUMP IT UP: Swapping out your pool pump for a more energy-efficient pump is a green choice for both the environment and your wallet. We offer our customers up to $350 in rebates if they upgrade to an ENERGY STAR® pool pump. Plus, more efficient pump replacements cost less, since they last up to three times longer than a single-speed pump. For more information on how to redeem a rebate or tips for upgrading pool equipment, visit our pool pump page, here.
• COOL FOR THE SUMMER: The urge to flip on the AC in blistering heat can be hard to deny – but your electric bill doesn’t have to suffer the consequences. Customers can save up to $500 a year on their bills with two rebate programs when they upgrade to new, high-efficiency central air conditioning. The first option allows customers to choose a contractor from our Cool Homes Program and receive a rebate of up to $1,000; the other option allows customers to purchase a high-efficiency central air conditioner or mini-split system from any licensed contractor for a rebate up to $350. For more information on the rebate programs, visit our Cool Homes Program section.
• SEAL THE DEAL: Sealing up holes and cracks around doors and weather-stripping window AC units ensures that cool air (and money) won’t go out the window.
• HOME ALONE: Don’t bother cooling an empty home. Setting thermostats at a higher temperature when no one is home will help cut down on costs and energy consumption from an air conditioner.
• STOCK UP: Keeping your fridge full has benefits for more than just midnight snack cravings. A fully stocked refrigerator takes longer to warm up when the door is open, meaning it takes less power to stay cool.

For more tips on how to stay cool, check out our summer tips press release.

PLAY IT SAFE
While we encourage conservation as a priority for customers, we also want to remind our customers across Long Island and in the Rockaways to practice safety this season. June is National Safety Month and, whether you’re hopping in the pool or headed to the back deck for some home improvement, it’s important to use caution during whatever activity you’re doing.

Here are a few tips for staying safe this summer.

• SPARKS FLY: Keeping any kind of electrical device away from water sources like pools and hot tubs is a must. Instead, opt for battery operated electrical devices outside. Additionally, never hand electrical devices to others when your hands are wet.
• LICENSE TO DRILL: Always consult a qualified, licensed electrician to perform any electrical work on air conditioners and other cooling equipment.
• ELECTRIC FEEL: Summer is a great time for do-it-yourself projects, but practice caution when using power tools. Be sure equipment avoids coming in contact with live electrical wires, and warn family members to watch their step if the wire extends across the floor.
• THROUGH THE WIRE: Avoid any contact with downed electric wires. If you see a wire down, call 911 and our emergency line at 800-490-0075. If the wire is making contact with a vehicle, do not touch any metal in the car and stay put until help arrives.
• SHOOTS & LADDERS: Remember to keep all ladders far away from electrical lines, and avoid contact with wires while climbing ladders to trim tree
• CALL ME MAYBE DEFINITELY: Before putting in that fence or planting that tree, customers are required by New York State to call 811 and request a mark-out from professionals to ensure they don’t hit any underground pipelines, conduits, wires or cables. The call is free, and a smart and safe way to avoid injuries and disruptions to vital utility services.

Check out our video for more tips on how to stay safe this summer.

For many, early June marks the precursor to summer, filled with graduations, BBQs, boating and more. And whether you’re gearing up for beach season or celebrating the end of the school year, it’s important to remember that this season can also bring some fierce weather.

June 1 is the official start of hurricane season and it’s predicted to be a busy one. But don’t let the threat of a storm rain on your parade. Here at PSEG Long Island, we’ve been working hard to improve our infrastructure and expand the ways we communicate with our customers to ensure reliability and timely information during a hurricane or any wild weather event.

WHAT WE’RE DOING:

In May, we partnered with representatives from the Long Island Power Authority, the New York Department of Public Service and various town leaders for our annual hurricane preparedness drill. The day-long exercise replicated a collective response to a hurricane, and covered all aspects of safety, logistics and communicating with the public. And in the fourth year since Superstorm Sandy, the drill continues to remind us how important it is to coordinate with all municipalities. The drill also gave us an opportunity to showcase our Mobile Command Center, a hub of technology set up in heavily damaged areas during large-scale emergencies and outages. The Command Center features Wi-Fi, televisions with satellite display newsfeeds, work stations and more to help our crews work faster and more efficiently.

Dave Daly, our president and chief operating officer, stressed the importance of communication at a May 31 press conference along with Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone ;Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, Long Island Red Cross Interim CEO Liz Barker; and Bob DeMarinis, vice president of maintenance and construction New York’s Gas National Grid, saying:

“With regard to being ready for storms, we have made a number of enhancements, starting with technology enhancements that will allow us first and foremost to communicate more effectively with elected officials, with local communities and with our customers,” he said.

“As the county executives have both mentioned, communications during these events are absolutely critical. Technology will also help us to communicate more effective, efficiently, particularly when we bring in thousands of crews during a storm such as Superstorm Sandy, to dispatch and deploy those crews in a more effective and efficient manner and keep them productive.”

PSEG Long Island has also taken big steps to bolster our system for storms, spending more than $500 million on equipment upgrades in just two years. We’ve put in a new substation in South Manor to help the growing need for electricity in Brookhaven; expanded the Amagansett substation in East Hampton to mitigate voltage risks; and have installed a new transmission cable between East Garden City and Meadowbrook substations to maintain reliable service to Nassau University Medical Center and the surrounding area, among other major projects.

Similarly, we’re continuing our storm hardening program, funded by FEMA, to strengthen the main-line primary wires that were most damaged by Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy. This also includes tree removal, strengthening the poles, and installing stronger and more resilient wires.

To see what we’re doing in and around your neighborhood, visit our Current Initiatives section.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

While PSEG Long Island continues to prepare for whatever the summer weather may bring, we encourage you to do the same. Start by registering for MyAlerts – a quick and easy way to report power outages and receive status updates by text. Simply text REG to PSEGLI (773454). Also, take the time now to bookmark our mobile-friendly Outage Center.

Here are a few other suggestions for how to get ready for a storm:

• Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information on outages, restoration, etc.
• Charge cell phones, tablets and other devices
• Compile a list of emergency phone numbers, including our Emergency Outage line at 1-800-490-0075 and our Customer Service number, 1-800-490-0025
• Fill up your car’s fuel tank
• Make sure to have cash available
• Create an emergency communication plan
• Discuss storm prep and safety with your family