How We Source Our Energy

How We Source Our Steam

We operate steam-generating plants all over New York City, helping our customers contribute to cleaner air and lower carbon emissions.

1.2M

Tons of carbon dioxide eliminated each year

1800

Customers

105MI

Of mains and service pipes

10M

Pounds per hour during winter

3,000

Steam manholes

Steam is clean and reliable, and frees up valuable real estate in your basement that would otherwise be filled with bulky heating equipment. It’s good for heating, hot water, air conditioning, and sterilization. Hospitals, restaurants, dry cleaners, and museums rely on Con Edison steam to sterilize equipment, wash dishes, clean clothes, and maintain climate control for priceless works of art.

Steam Generating Plants

The vast majority of our steam (over 97 percent) is made from burning natural gas in one of our five steam-generating plants. We also get it delivered under contract from the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Our boilers use low-sulfur oil or clean-burning natural gas to produce steam. This makes it the cleanest option for providing heat and hot water to buildings in Manhattan, but we’re not stopping there. We’re working to implement decarbonization projects that will reduce steam’s Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net zero by 2050