Con Edison Nears the Finish Line in Recovery From Dual Punishing Storms

Con Edison is close to completing one of the largest outage restoration campaigns in its history following a pair of destructive storms that hit the region in rapid succession.

The company expects that by Sunday night it will complete repairs needed to restore electrical service to the approximately 800 customers still out due to a fierce Nor’easter that struck on March 2. That storm’s snow and ferocious winds caused nearly 138,000 customer outages.

The company is also keenly focused on restoring outages remaining from a second Nor’easter, the snow and windstorm that slammed the region on Wednesday. Those customers will be back in service by Monday night, the company expects.

Currently, about 4,500 customers in New York City and Westchester County are without power. The great majority are in Westchester, which took a big hit from both storms.

Con Edison crews will continue working around the clock until all customers are back in service. The company has sent more than 2,900 workers into the streets since the restoration began. Those include mutual aid workers from 20 states and Canada.

Together, the two storms caused more outages in Westchester than Hurricane Irene did in August 2011.

Both storms knocked trees and branches into power lines, poles and other overhead equipment, leaving hundreds of street blocked with debris and wires strewn on roadways and sidewalks. Crews had to re-build large portions of the overhead electrical delivery system in Westchester.

Meanwhile, Con Edison is monitoring the weather that may hit the New York area next week. The forecast says light snow is possible on Monday with possible snow showers later in the week.

Con Edison is working to address a technical issue that has caused coned.com and the outage map to be out of service.

Customers can report downed power lines, outages and check service restoration status by calling 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). 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 offers a number of mobile solutions so you can manage your accounts, report and check the status of an outage, learn energy-saving tips, and more. Text REG to OUTAGE (688243) to sign up for text notifications, and follow the prompts. You will need to enter your Con Edison account number to complete the registration process. Once you've registered, you will not need your account number to report or check the status of a power problem.

Con Edison offers the following storm tips:

• Do not go near downed wires because they could be live. Never attempt to move them or touch them with any object. Be mindful that downed wires can be hidden from view by snow, tree limbs, leaves or water.
• Report 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, disconnect or turn off appliances that would otherwise turn on automatically when service is restored.  If several appliances start up at once, the electric circuits may overload.
• Make sure your flashlights and any battery-operated radios or televisions are working. Have a supply of extra batteries. Weather updates and news on electrical service can be heard on local radio and television stations.

Customers can follow Con Edison on Twitter or like us on Facebook for general outage updates, safety tips and storm preparation information.