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Con Edison Prepared for Year’s First Heat Wave, Offers Conservation Tips for Customers

  • Con Edison Media Relations

  • New York – July 17, 2020 -- 02:00 PM

Con Edison crews are prepared to respond to any service problems that arise as temperatures exceed 90 degrees starting Saturday.

The heat, humidity and increased demand for electricity to power air conditioners can cause cables to overheat and lead to outages. The coming days could also bring thunderstorms, which can affect the overhead delivery system and cause outages.

The company urges members of the public to stay away from any wires that are downed during storms. Do not touch them with your hands or any object. Call your local police department or 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633) to report downed wires.

A utility worker holding two looper tubes on a city street.

Con Edison is mobilizing staffing to respond to any outages.

Con Edison personnel practice social distancing to keep everyone safe from the coronavirus. Con Edison is following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines during the health emergency.

The company urges customers to save money by using energy wisely and recommends these steps:

  • Make sure air conditioner filters are clean so the units will run at peak efficiency;
  • Set thermostats to the highest comfortable temperature. Each degree lower increases cooling costs;
  • If you have a room air-conditioning unit, close off the rooms not being used; if you have central air, block the vents in unused or vacant rooms;
  • To reduce heat and moisture in your home, run appliances such as ovens, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers in the early morning or late at night when it’s generally cooler outside. Use a microwave to cook, if possible;
  • Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed. About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows. Simply drawing blinds and curtains, which act as a layer of insulation, can reduce heat in your apartment or home;
  • Turn off air conditioners, lights and other appliances when not at home and use a timer to turn on your air conditioner about a half-hour before arriving home.

Con Edison offers additional energy savings tips.

Customers can report outages and check service restoration status at conEd.com/reportoutage, or with our mobile app for iOS or Android devices, or by calling 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). When calling, customers should report whether their neighbors also have lost power. 

Customers who report outages will receive updates from Con Edison with their estimated restoration times as they become available. Information on outages and restoration times is also available at the Con Edison outage map.

The company offers a variety of incentives for customers who make energy efficiency upgrades. Residential customers can get a $50 discount for buying a smart thermostat at Con Edison Marketplace and another $85 for registering it with Con Edison’s Bring Your Own Thermostat (BYOT) Program.

Con Edison offers 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. Once you've registered, you will not need your account number to report or check the status of a power problem.

Visit us here to stay on top of outages and power problems by signing up for text notifications.

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