NEW YORK CITY: CUNY Gets Energy Program for Computers—The Power Authority is teaming up with the City University of New York (CUNY) in a program to reduce energy consumption by the 28,000 personal computers (PCs) in use across the 12 campuses of CUNY’s Senior College Group. PCs are voracious consumers of electricity that waste up to 400 kilowatt-hours yearly when running at full power while no one is present. A new computer software program that measures and manages energy consumption will be installed in the computers, allowing network administrators to customize power settings across thousands of PCs. For example, one department’s computer usage might require putting an individual PC into ‘sleep mode’ after five minutes of inactivity, while 20 minutes might be necessary in another area. CUNY will save more than $200,000 annually in electricity costs after installation is completed in the fall, with savings passed along to taxpayers. The reduced need for power production also will eliminate 3,150 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year. The $600,000 installation cost of the project will be repaid to the Power Authority through the energy savings.

MOUNT VERNON: It’s a ‘Go’ for Traffic Signal Savings – NYPA has partnered with the City of Mount Vernon in giving the green light to the installation of 2,700 new long-life, energy-efficient traffic and pedestrian signals that will save the city $74,000 a year on its electric bill. The new red, green, and amber light-emitting diode (LED) modules use about 90 percent less energy and are brighter and last longer than current incandescent bulbs. The result will be lower maintenance costs and improved traffic safety during poor weather. The Power Authority will recover the cost of the $340,000 project by sharing in the energy savings for the first five years. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Earlier this year, NYPA provided similar traffic signals in New Rochelle and Peekskill. The Power Authority has undertaken other energy-efficiency initiatives at public buildings in Mount Vernon that have lowered the city’s energy bills by more than $60,000 annually.

SYRACUSE: NYPA Activities Displayed at New York State Fair— This year’s State Fair, which runs from Aug. 25 to Sept. 5, will include at least one new exhibitor: The New York Power Authority will share a booth with two other state agencies inside the fair’s Verizon Center of Progress Building. NYPA’s display will showcase energy services initiatives that help New York State save money and megawatts. A battery-powered utility truck and electric yard care equipment will be on hand to promote the Power Authority’s new Green Zones environmental project. Brochures and flyers describing the visitors centers at NYPA’s three large hydropower facilities will be distributed as well. The Power Authority is sharing its booth at the State Fair with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the state Public Service Commission under the joint slogan of “Powerful Partners Working For New York.” Visit the State Fair website (www.nysfair.org) for details on admission fees, hours of operation, transportation services, entertainment schedules and much more.

LEWISTON: It’s Hot! It’s Cool! It’s the Historic Jazz Festival!— The Historic Lewiston Jazz Festival promises to be bigger and better than ever this year, with an extra evening of music added to a typically jam-packed schedule. This year’s festival will begin one night earlier than in previous years, on Thursday, Aug. 25, and run through the afternoon of Sunday, Aug. 28. In between, jazz lovers can enjoy performances by more than 150 musicians playing throughout the Village of Lewiston. Other attractions will include a classic Jaguar and British open car show, antique vendors, wine tastings, culinary samplings and more. As founding sponsor, NYPA plays a major role in organizing and promoting the festival, and designed the website providing full details including performance schedules ( www.lewistonjazz.com ). Other primary sponsors are the Village and Town of Lewiston and the Lower Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce. Last year, close to 30,000 people attended the festival, spending more than $800,000 on local businesses and services.

MASSENA: Hawkins Point Center Hits the Ground Running— NYPA’s newly opened Hawkins Point Visitors Center at the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project is wasting no time attracting visitors. There have been more than 5,000 visitors since the center opened its doors this summer, and it has been the meeting site for several community groups. On Aug. 20 the visitors center will play host to its third event in less than a month, a “Car Seat Check/Child ID Day.” From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day, New York state troopers will check child safety seats for adequacy and proper installation, while officers from the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department will offer child identification kits that include fingerprints and photos. On Aug. 13 a “Classic Car Cruise-In” was scheduled for the visitors center, featuring vintage autos and coordinated by NYPA staff member Joel Auger and the “Massena Olde Car Club.” The week of Aug. 8 began at the visitors center with a free, three-day safe boating course that gave participants a jump-start in meeting a new state law that Jet Skis can be operated only by persons 14 and over who have a safety certification.

In the Community: Niagara Power Project staff members were to display an exhibit on the Niagara visitors center at the Earth Day Expo at the Buffalo Zoo on Aug. 14, encouraging environmental awareness for children and families during the summer vacation season...Exhibits on the Niagara visitors center and other NYPA-supported events were also to be displayed at the Youngstown Falkner Park Concert, Aug. 12… NYPA sponsored the kickoff concert featuring Joey Dee and the Starliters at Peekskill Celebration 2005, which celebrates both Peekskill’s revitalized economy and the Hudson River’s rich heritage, Aug. 5…NYPA staff demonstrated the basics of electricity to children from the Youngstown Recreation Summer Program, Aug. 5…The Power Authority displayed electric vehicles at the Pine Avenue Italian Festival, Niagara Falls, Aug. 6 and 7; at the John Daly golf event, Goat Island, Aug. 3; and at the Queens and Bronx “National Night Out Against Crime” community events, Aug. 2.