Con Edison: newsroom - news release - Morning Update: Storm Restoration Nearly Complete

News

Con Edison Media Relations
For Immediate Release: March 19, 2010
10:00 a.m.

MORNING UPDATE:

Storm Restoration Nearly Complete

NEW YORK — After working in difficult and sometimes hazardous conditions around the clock for six straight days, hundreds of dedicated power line crews and thousands of Con Edison support personnel expect to wrap up power restoration today to all 173,000 customers who lost electric service in last weekend’s fierce rain and windstorm.

At 9:30 a.m. today, field workers were in the midst of restoring the last 800 customers still without power in Westchester County, the hardest hit area of the company’s service area.

Over 700 company crews, including utility power crews from Michigan, Ohio, Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Massachusetts, labored day and night this week rebuilding the electrical infrastructure destroyed or damaged by fallen trees and 70-mph winds.

“March Madness started a few days early for us, but it wasn’t the kind college hoop lovers began enjoying yesterday,” said Craig S. Ivey, president of Con Edison. “I want to express our deepest appreciation to our customers for their patience and perseverance this week. I also want to thank our crews and employees for being so dedicated, and send a special thanks to the hundreds of utility workers who left their homes and families from as far away as Michigan and Georgia to help us.”

This week, crews replaced or repaired more than:

225 utility poles;
735 crossarms (horizontal bar on top of the pole that holds the top-most section of cables);
162,000 feet of cable; and
175 transformers

The company also had to cut up, take down, or remove nearly 2,000 trees, and distributed more than 76,000 pounds of dry ice in Westchester and Staten Island.

Customers experiencing any new outages are urged to call Con Edison immediately at 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). Customers also can report power interruptions and service problems at www.conEd.com, or on their cell phones or PDAs. When reporting an outage, customers should have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors also have lost power.

Con Edison reminds everyone of the following tips to stay safe, whether during or after a storm:

If you see downed electrical wires, do not go near them. Treat all downed wires as if they are live. Never attempt to move or touch them with any object. Be mindful that downed wires can be hidden from view by tree limbs, leaves or water. Report all downed wires to Con Edison and your local police department immediately. If a power line falls on your car while you’re in it, stay inside the vehicle and wait for emergency personnel.

If your power goes out, turn off all lights and appliances to prevent overloaded circuits when power is restored. Leave at least one light switch in the on position to alert you once power is restored.

Check to make sure your flashlights and any battery-operated radios or televisions are in working order. Use candles and oil lamps with care. Also, be sure to have an extra supply of batteries. Weather updates and news on restorations of electrical service can be heard on most local radio and television stations.

The company continues to remain in close contact with the New York City Office of Emergency Management and the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services to coordinate storm response as needed.

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