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July 21, 2006
4:00 a.m.
A Message to Con Edison's Customers in Queens and Westchester County
Hundreds of repair crews, with support from Con Edison's engineering and staff,
are doing everything possible to restore power in Northwest Queens disrupted
by the recent heat wave. We have nearly finished our work on the high-voltage
feeders in the area, and we are assessing damage and proceeding with repairs
to the low-voltage system.
Con Edison has the most reliable electric delivery system in the country. It is unusual to have multiple feeder cables out in an electric network. In most cases, we find the problem, make repairs, and bring the feeder back online. However, in Queens, feeders continued to go out. We are analyzing this phenomenon, and maximum company resources are directed at restoring full service as quickly as possible.
We worked very closely with customers, businesses, and city officials this week to ensure that outages weren't more widespread. Con Edison continues to urge all customers in the Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside, Hunters Point, and Astoria neighborhoods of Queens to curtail their use of non-essential electrical appliances and equipment until problems on electrical cables can be resolved. Your cooperation during this time is greatly appreciated.
Con Edison is also engaged in an around-the-clock power restoration and damage assessment effort in Westchester County following a devastating storm that left in its wake a tangle of downed trees and power lines, and some 30,000 customers without electrical service. Electricity has been returned to about 23,000 customers. Crews from neighboring utilities are assisting the company with the restoration, which the company estimates will last through Sunday.
In many areas, the electrical system will have to be rebuilt from the
ground up. Once the downed power lines are separated from the fallen trees
and the debris cleared from the streets, crews will have to erect new
poles, mount replacement transformers, and run spans of new overhead wire.
All of this work must be carried out with the safety of our employees
and the public as a top priority. Con Edison reminds customers who may
find a downed power line to treat it as if it is live; stay away from
it and call the company at 1-800-75-CONED. That number also may be used
to report power outages.
We understand the frustration of people who are experiencing power outages and appreciate their patience. Please know that our focus is always on our customers - keeping the power on, and quickly and safely restoring power to those who have lost it.
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