An annual survey given by the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) says population numbers on the Island continue to rise despite the high cost of living.

LIPA officials say 80,000 people have moved to the Island in the past five years, with nearly 20,000 coming in the last year. Officials say there are 2.83 million residents on Long Island, which is about the population size of Chicago.

Officials say the results of the survey speak volumes and serve as a predictor of what is to come. LIPA Chairman Richie Kessel says additional energy resources must be found that have not been utilized in the past.