In addition to setting a new peak-hour demand record of 5613 megawatts (MW) on Tuesday, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) also set a record for delivering electricity on a 24-hour basis by reaching a new high of 106,000 megawatt hours (MWH).

Tuesday's peak-hour record beat the previous record of 5427 MWs set on July 18 of this year by some 186 MWs. The new record for delivering electricity over a 24-hour period yesterday is 3,000 MWH above the previous high of 103,000 MWH.

"Tuesday's electric demand was astonishing," said LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel. "We reached demand levels that were not considered in the realm of possibility just eight years ago when LIPA became Long Island's electric utility.

"We've been able to meet the demand for electricity because of the 1,100 megawatts of new on- and off-island resources, including the cross-Sound cable, we added over the last four years, and because of the nearly $2 billion LIPA invested in expanding and upgrading our transmission and distribution system," said Kessel.

Tuesday's peak demand record of 5613 MWs was achieved when temperatures across the island reached the high 90s and the heat index soared above 105. In fact, demand stayed above 5,000 megawatts well into the night due to higher temperature levels that did not drop until much later.

Over the last eight years, peak summer demand has grown by some 1,300 megawatts from 4,310 MWs in 1998 to yesterday's mark of 5613 MWs. On average that's an increase of about 162 MWs per year. And while the yearly peaks have been set under a variety of summer weather conditions the year-to-year growth in overall electric demand remains unprecedented.

LIPA anticipates that Wednesday's peak demand could exceed 5700 MWs, and that Thursday's demand will remain high at about 5100 MWs.

Based on high demand forecast, LIPA will activate its Peak Load Reduction Program (PLPR), which requests major customers on Long Island to either reduce demand or switch to self generation. This action can save about 85 MWs of demand. LIPA's program that can reset thermostats of home air conditioning units of LIPAedge participants will also be activated and will save about 35 MWs.

These programs are being activated as a precautionary measure to help reduce stress on LIPA transmission and distribution and in anticipation of continued high demand tomorrow.

As a result of the excessive heat and humidity that smothered Long Island some 28,135 LIPA customers experienced a service outage over the 24-hour period on August 1. Since mid-night this morning and 9 a.m. an additional 8,300 customers experienced an outage. Average restoration time yesterday was less than 4 hours. The majority of the outages resulted from transformer (267) and line fuse (73) overloads caused by the record high increased demand for electricity and the high heat index.

Extra crews worked through the day yesterday and overnight, on 16-hour shifts, to respond to outages that occurred well after sunset when temperatures did not cool down as much as had been forecast. The unusually high overnight temperatures kept demand exceptionally high at about 5,000 MWs until after 10 p.m. Tuesday night.

Anticipating that today's extreme heat and humidity will again push electric demand to unprecedented heights, which in turn could cause island-wide heat-related outages, LIPA will have nearly 1,000 people working in the field over the next 24 hours to make repairs.

While LIPA projects an adequate supply of electricity to meet demand -with temperatures expected to reach 100 degrees and the heat index will exceed 110 - it continues to urge its customers to be conservation minded. Using electricity wisely will help keep Long Island's lights on and bills down.

LIPA requests that all electric customers - commercial as well as residential - help conserve electricity by:

* Eliminating all non-essential electric use;

* Placing air conditioners on timers, don't let them run when not at home;

* Setting air conditioners at 78 degrees;

* Using fans to circulate cool air, which will help cut air conditioner use;

* Setting refrigerators and freezers at most efficient temperatures; and

* Running appliances such as clothes washers, dryers and dishwashers in the early morning or late evening to avoid the peak afternoon demand hours.

High temperatures and high electric demand can sometimes cause scattered heat-related outages. LIPA advises that conserving electricity will help reduce the potential for outages. Customers who experience an outage should call 1-800- 490-0075.

Additional energy conservation tips can be obtained from LIPA's Web site, www.lipower.org, or by calling its Infoline at 1-800-692-2626.