May 30, 2007

PSE&G To Replace 1,300 Vehicles With Hybrids

New Jersey’s Public Service Electric and Gas plans to reduce its carbon emissions by more than 81,000 tons by replacing 1,300 vehicles with hybrids and making changes in other areas of its corporate fleet.

During the next decade, the utility will invest in hybrid cars and light trucks, hybrid bucket truck prototypes, electric-drives and alternative fuels.

PSE&G will begin its vehicle replacement program this year. The switch is expected to result in a reduction of 8,500 tons of CO2 and 850,000 gallons of gasoline during the next decade.

As part of the program PSE&G will also become one of the first utilities in the nation using hybrid aerial lifts. Commonly known as bucket trucks, these specialized vehicles allow utility workers to safely assess and repair power lines located high atop utility poles. These new hybrid trucks were just recently introduced to the market with limited availability, but PSE&G has already purchased two and is scheduled to receive them later this year.

While the utility tests the new hybrid lifts for safety and durability, it will be expediting the installation of electric drive units in its 450 traditional aerial lifts. Electric drives allow utility workers to operate the lift, or the bucket, on battery power rather than keeping the engine running. A three-hour reduction in engine idle time per truck per day over the next decade will result in 6.5 million gallons of fuel savings and 73,000 tons of CO2 reduction.

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