NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 02/27/13 -- Eight Con Edison researchers have won prestigious industry awards for their work on projects to make the delivery of electricity safer and more reliable.

The researchers each received the Technology Transfer Award from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), a national energy research organization.

"We are in a constant and relentless search for technology and methods that can improve our service," said Craig Ivey, the president of Con Edison. "The men and women of Con Edison are proud to see eight members of our team recognized for research that will benefit the New Yorkers we feel privileged to serve."

The Con Edison winners included Dexter Newton, operating supervisor in Electrical Operations, Rashal Mahamud, associate engineer in Distribution Engineering, and Paul Richardson, district operator in System and Transmission Operations.

This group conducted research into using smart phone and tablet personal computer technology to detect contact voltage -- also known as stray voltage -- on urban streets. The technology could make it possible for a utility worker with a smart phone or tablet to detect contact voltage.

Here are the other Con Edison winners and their projects:

• Anastasia O'Malley, project manager in Central Engineering, and Matt Walther, section manager in Substation Operations, worked on the development of an automated system that gathers and analyzes data from transmission transformers. Once the system is fully developed and deployed, planners will be able to use the information to make decisions on system maintenance, resulting in improved reliability and lower costs.
  
  
• John Giacona, a project specialist in Steam Operations, was honored for his research into smart grid technology. The goal of the project is to develop technology to improve the integration of customer-owned distributed generation -- such as fuel cells -- into Con Edison's grid.
  
  
• Sanjay Bose, vice president, Central Engineering, and Amitabha Mukhopadhyay, senior engineer in Central Engineering, found ways to improve the capacity of high-voltage transmission lines while saving on capital costs.
  
  

Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE: ED), one of the nation's largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $12 billion in annual revenues and $41 billion in assets. The utility provides electric, gas and steam service to more than 3 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, N.Y. For additional financial, operations and customer service information, visit us at ConEd.com, at our green site, coned.com/thepowerofgreen, or find us on Facebook at Power of Green.