Con Edison Asking Customers To Conserve On Day Four Of Intense Heat Wave

Con Edison is asking its 3.5 million customers in New York City and Westchester County to conserve energy and help keep service reliable, as the intense heat and humidity continue for a fourth straight day.

The company urges customers not to use energy-intensive appliances such as washers, dryers, and microwaves unless necessary. The company also asks customers to limit unnecessary use of air conditioning. If you have two air conditioners, use only one and set it to the highest comfortable temperature.

Con Edison is using all the tools at its disposal to keep service reliable during the heat wave. The increased amount of power flowing through the system causes cables and other equipment to get hot and can lead to outages.

The company projects that the demand for power will reach 12,300 megawatts today, exceeding last year’s peak of 11,740 megawatts.

The company has reduced voltage by 5 percent in certain areas and activated its demand response programs. These programs offer incentives to customers who have signed up to conserve energy at times of high demand. The company has also deployed generators.

Crews are working around the clock in the extreme conditions to restore customers whose service is affected by the heat wave. Since the heat wave began on Sunday, crews have restored service to 27,500 customers. They are working to restore about 2,900, including about 2,300 in Brooklyn.

Information on outages and restoration times is available on the Con Edison outage map.

Con Edison invested $1.5 billion to prepare for the summer of 2021. That money went into cable, transformers, network protectors, substation equipment and other components that make the electric-delivery system reliable.

How to Report an Outage

To make it more convenient to report an outage, Con Edison sent texts to 1.7 million customers informing them that the company is mobilized for the heat and providing them with guidance on outage reporting.

Customers can sign up for text alerts at coned.com/text. Customers can also report outages and check service restoration status at conEd.com/reportoutage or with Con Edison’s mobile app for iOS or Android devices, or by calling 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633).

Customers who report outages will receive updates from Con Edison with their estimated restoration times as they become available.

Cooling Centers

New York City offers cooling centers to give people places to take a break from the heat: https://maps.nyc.gov/cooling-center/ Westchester County offers tips for staying safe in the heat.

The company also encourages customers to consider solar energy, energy efficiency programs, demand response and other products and services that limit the amount of power drawn from the grid at peak times.

Energy Efficiency Programs

Con Edison encourages customers to consider its energy efficiency programs to save energy and money.

Conservation Tips

New Yorkers can stay cool and save all summer by following these money-saving conservation tips:

• Set your air conditioner to the highest comfortable temperature. Every degree you lower the thermostat increases costs;
• To reduce heat and moisture in your home, run appliances such as ovens, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers in the early morning or late at night when it’s cooler outside;
• When the AC is running, close doors to keep cool air in and hot air out;
• Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed. About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows;
• Even when using AC, use ceiling and other fans to provide additional cooling and better circulation;
• Turn off AC units, lights and other appliances when not at home and use a timer to turn on your air conditioner about a half-hour before arriving home;
• Keep AC filters clean.

Con Edison offers additional energy savings tips.

Customers can follow Con Edison on Twitter or Facebook for general outage updates, safety tips and storm preparation information.