News
Con Edison Media Relations
Richard D. Mulieri, Director
Telephone: (212) 460-4111
For Immediate Release: July 16, 1997
CON EDISON URGES CUSTOMERS IN FLUSHING
AND RICHMOND HILL TO
REDUCE THEIR USE OF ELECTRICITY TODAY
In order to avoid service interruptions, Con Edison
today urged customers in its Flushing and Richmond Hill
networks to reduce their use of electricity to every extent
possible until electrical feeder cable problems in these
areas can be repaired. With four feeders out of service in
the Richmond Hill network and three out in Flushing, today's
expected record-setting demand could cause overloads unless
customers reduce their consumption of electricity.
The Flushing network is bounded by the East River on
the north, the Long Island Expressway on the south, the
Nassau County line on the east and the Grand Central Parkway
on the west. The Richmond Hill network is bounded by the
Jackie Robinson Parkway on the north, Jamaica Bay on the
south, the Van Wyck Expressway on the east and Alabama
Avenue in Brooklyn on the west.
Con Edison is asking those who live and work in these
areas to turn off all unnecessary lights and to avoid using
appliances such as air conditioners, washers, dryers and
dishwashers. The utility also reduced voltage in the
Richmond Hill area by eight percent to help relieve the
electrical load. It could take this step in the Flushing
area later,
if necessary. Nearly 170,000 customers are served by the
Flushing and Richmond Hill networks.
Yesterday, Con Edison set an electric demand record of
11,013 megawatts between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. The old record
of 10,805 megawatts was set on August 2,
1995. The utility says today's demand could exceed
yesterday's record and could not rule out electrical feeder
cable failures in other parts of New York City and
Westchester County. Updates on the situation will be
provided to the public directly and through the news media
as the day progresses.
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