The Long Island Power Authority became Long Islands non-profit electric utility on May 28, 1998. It delivers electricity to nearly 1.1 million customers, and is highly rated for service restoration and is in the top tier for uninterrupted service among all New York State utilities with above-ground service. LIPA has introduced powerful products and services to meet the needs of its residential and commercial/industrial customers. The company, for example, allows customers to choose an outside electricity supplier in an increasingly deregulated market, and continues to implement new energy conservation and efficiency programs.