Con Edison activated its Emergency Response Center on Wednesday and put crews on around-the-clock standby ahead of extreme heat hitting New York City this week, according to a press release the utility issued June 30.
Heat, humidity, and the surge in electricity demand from air conditioners can strain the grid and may lead to scattered outages, Con Edison said. The coming days could also bring thunderstorms, which can damage the overhead power line system.
Residents should stay away from any downed wires during storms, the company said. Call your local police department or 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633) to report them. Con Edison may send workers to guard downed lines, including workers in unmarked vehicles who carry company identification.
Con Edison said the most effective steps to protect the grid and cut your bill start with reducing energy use between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m., when demand is highest. Keep shades, blinds, and curtains closed: about 40 percent of unwanted heat enters a home through its windows, the company said. If you have multiple air conditioners, run only one. If you own an electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid, wait until after 10 p.m. to charge it unless necessary.
New York City cooling centers were activated Wednesday. Find current locations and hours at the NYC cooling center finder or the New York State cooling center map.
If your power goes out, report it and track restoration times at conEd.com/reportoutage, through Con Edison’s app for iOS or Android, or by calling 1-800-75-CONED. Sign up for text alerts at coned.com/text. Live outage data is also available at the Con Edison outage map.
Con Edison offers energy savings tips and energy efficiency programs that pay customers who make energy-saving upgrades, with options for residential customers, low-income households, small businesses, and multi-family buildings.
Con Edison said it continues to invest in its electric delivery system to prepare for summer conditions. Bushwick Daily reported in June on the company’s record North Brooklyn grid upgrade and the rate increases funding it.
Featured image: Courtesy coned.com
