Such words strike at the heart of New Yorkers, some of whom are already shunning the public transit system for fear of an air conditioning failure. The excessive demand that plagues the rest of America holds true in New York, where some people spend the summer months hardly ever venturing out of air conditioned spaces. However, Manhattan's problems are exacerbated by an elderly transmission system which transports energy from outside the island. Consumer advocates and ConEd itself also argue that the speedy deregulation of the industry, which took effect in November 1999, is also leading to price fixing and an inadequate response to a potential crisis. These circumstances include a week-long heatwave or a major transmission line failure.
Local watchdogs disagree.
Gerald Norlander, executive director of PULP, said such rose-tinted assessments depended on statistical testing rather than reality. The main culprit is the state's dependance on gas-fired plants as gas prices have doubled in the past year. During an unprecedented economic boom, high prices failed to deter increased use. US government figures suggest that electricity demand will grow 2. Such is the average consumer's failure to connect increased supply with a lack of conservation that the government's bid to return to nuclear power is winning votes.