Con Edison Asks Customers to Continue to Conserve Energy

Con Edison is asking customers to continue to conserve energy as the region experiences ongoing high heat and humidity.

The company thanks its customers for their energy conservation efforts this week and reminds them that they can save money and stay comfortable by using energy wisely.

Con Edison offers money-saving conservation tips and robust energy efficiency programs that provide incentives for customers who make upgrades to lighting, HVAC systems and other equipment.

Customers who conserve energy help Con Edison maintain its industry-leading reliable service when the demand for power is high, such as when more customers are using their air conditioners.

The company has responded to scattered outages since the heat began. Currently, fewer than 100 of the company’s 3.5 million customers are out of service.

The heat, humidity and increased demand for electricity to power air conditioners can cause cables to overheat and lead to outages. The coming days could also bring thunderstorms, which can affect the overhead delivery system and cause outages.

The company urges members of the public to stay away from downed wires. Call your local police department or 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633) to report downed wires.

Con Edison may send workers to guard downed wires and protect members of the public from going near them. These workers will carry identification.

How to Report an Outage

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

The company has sent emails to customers to help them report outages and urge them to stay away from downed wires. The company has also sent text messages to customers’ cellphones urging them to conserve and offering instructions on reporting outages.

Save Energy and Money

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

For this summer, Con Edison is offering residential customers:

• A $50 discount for buying a smart thermostat at the Con Edison Marketplace and another $85 for registering it with Con Edison’s Bring Your Own Thermostat (BYOT) Program.
• Rebates on heat pumpsthat can also cool your home.

Con Edison is offering incentives for commercial and industrial customers. They include:

• Cash incentives for installing energy efficient electric and gas equipment.
• Instant lighting incentives.
• Savings for upgrading to more efficient LED lighting. Get up to $300 per LED fixture.
• Small and medium-size businessescan get a free, no-obligation energy assessment of their facility. Con Edison will pay up to 70 percent of the cost for qualified lighting, HVAC, refrigeration and gas system upgrades.

Con Edison is offering incentives to multi-family building owners and managers, including:

• Rebates for installing energy efficient gas and electric equipment in Affordable and Market Rate buildings
• Savings for upgrading to heat pump technology which can heat and cool buildings efficiently year-round
• Additional bonus rebates for upgrading equipment in eligible Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods

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;
• 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;
• Replacing an old air conditioner with a new ENERGY STAR unit can reduce energy usage by 30 percent;
• Con Edison offers additional energy savings tips.

New York City has activated its Cooling Center Finder to help people locate places where they can escape the heat and stay safe. Westchester County offers tips for people to stay safe in the heat and sun.

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