New York Demand Response

New York businesses reduce energy spend and earn money with Enel North America

Enel helps hundreds of organizations throughout New York earn money, save on energy costs, and mitigate carbon emissions with demand response. How does it work? New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), the region’s electric grid operator, is responsible for balancing supply and demand for electricity throughout the state. When NYISO determines that they need more supply to meet demand, they dispatch Enel’s demand response network, which is made up of local organizations that have agreed to reduce energy during times of high demand. These organizations earn payments for helping NYISO ensure grid stability.

Many utilities throughout the state also offer demand response programs. By enrolling your facility in utility-run, summer only programs in addition to NYISO’s demand response program, you can optimize your return on dispatch performance that often occurs simultaneously. Enel can work with you to help you maximize your earning potential. With Enel, participating in demand response has never been easier.

New York Demand Response territory map

New York demand response program options

Special Case Resource (SCR) is a demand response program designed to help NYISO maintain grid reliability during unplanned periods of high demand due to extreme heat, inclement weather, and transmission outages. This program is available to all organizations in New York State.

Boost summer earnings by also enrolling your facility in local utility programs. Commercial System Relief Program (CSRP) is a peak shaving program that is called upon when the utility reaches its day-ahead peak load forecast threshold. Distribution Load Relief Program (DLRP) is a contingency program that is called upon when the utility experiences network emergencies. Participating utilities include Con Edison, National Grid, NYSEG, Orange & Rockland, and PSEG Long Island.   

NYISO overview (SCR)
Utility program overview (CSRP and DLRP)
Program period
Year-round, 24x7x365
May 1 – September 30
Payments
Capacity payments (for being on standby) and energy payments (for dispatch performance)
Capacity payments (for being on standby) and energy payments (for dispatch performance)
Advanced notification
2 hours, with stand-by warning provided 21 hours in advance
2 hours to day-ahead, depending on the program
Event duration
Typically 4 – 6 hours
Typically 4 – 6 hours

New York demand response program FAQs

Demand response provides a no-risk, no-cost opportunity for commercial, institutional, and industrial organizations in New York to earn money and drive energy savings through grid operator and utility-sponsored demand response programs. Your participation helps maintain reliable electricity throughout New York. Program participants receive recurring capacity payments for agreeing to curtail electricity consumption in response to abnormally high electricity demand and additional energy payments based on their performance during dispatches.

  • Maximize payments to your bottom line: Enel manages your participation from start to finish, ensuring you earn the highest possible financial reward. Since 2015, our customers have earned more than $1.325 billion in payments.
  • Reduce energy costs today: Avoid costly peak demand spikes, monitor energy usage trends over time, and spot opportunities to better manage energy costs with our real-time energy intelligence software.
  • Support your community: Your participation helps maintain reliable electricity throughout New York and provides a clean, cost-effective alternative to building new power plants in the community.

Enel makes participation easy. We take care of the complex details so you can stay focused on running your business.

  1. Our local experts work with you to identify your energy reduction potential and create a strategy that delivers maximum value with minimum impact on your operations. We outline these measures in a detailed energy reduction plan.
  2. We may install necessary metering devices at your facility to establish communication with our Network Operations Center (NOC), so we can monitor your energy consumption levels in real-time.
  3. Your site is then enrolled and ready to respond if and when a dispatch begins. At any time during a dispatch, you can log in to the app to view your performance in real-time. Throughout the process, we fully manage enrollment, measurement, verification, and payments on your behalf.
  • Notification: When your local utility or NYISO anticipates the need for support, they dispatch the Enel network into action. Enel will notify you via email, phone, or SMS informing you when the dispatch will begin.
  • Response: At the start of the dispatch, your facility will reduce its electricity usage according to your pre-determined Energy Reduction Plan – either manually, or automatically through the NOC.
  • Support: Before, during, and after a dispatch, our NOC remains in communication with your facility. Our staff is available 24x7x365, supporting you to ensure that you achieve the highest possible levels of performance and payments.

Enel has extensive experience creating reduction strategies that work within the operational limitations of a wide variety of facilities, including cold storage, manufacturers, food processors, universities, malls, office buildings and more.

Common reduction examples include:

  • Reduce non-essential lighting 
  • Modify manufacturing processes
  • Adjust HVAC equipment
  • Dial back pumps
  • Change settings in industrial freezers

Our customers find that many energy-intensive processes can simply be shifted by a few hours to facilitate dispatch participation. Ask us about our experience working with customers like you.

Utility-run programs enable you to earn more with less effort. Boost your DR earnings by dual-enrolling in summer-only CSRP or DLRP programs in addition to SCR. Participating utilities include Con Edison, National Grid, NYSEG, Orange & Rockland, and PSEG Long Island.

Our experts are standing by to speak with you about your organization’s demand response opportunity. Submit your information here to get a conversation started with our team.

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