Con Edison Maintains Reliable Service as Temps Exceed 90 Degrees for Third Day

Con Edison crews have restored power to 1,000 customers since yesterday as temperatures exceed 90 degrees again.

The company reminds New Yorkers to use New York City’s Cooling Center Finder to locate the nearest cooling center and find relief from the heat.

To make it easier for customers to report outages, Con Edison sent more than 1.7 million text messages to customers to open direct lines of communication with them if they need to report an outage. A customer need only reply OUT to the text message to report an outage.

Customers who did not receive a text can report outages and check service restoration status at http://coned.com/out or text REG to OUTAGE (688243) and follow the prompts to sign up for notifications. Customers can also call 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.

In addition, Con Edison’s mobile apps for iOS or Android allow customers to manage accounts, report and check the status of an outage, access energy-saving tips, and more.

Heat, humidity and increased demand for electricity to power air conditioners can cause cables to overheat and lead to outages. Thunderstorms and winds can affect the overhead delivery system bringing down wires and causing outages.

The company urges members of the public to immediately report downed wires to local police or Con Edison at 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). Never touch wires with your hands or any object.

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.

Especially in times of high demand, Con Edison recommends customers use energy wisely with these money and energy-saving tips:

• 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.

Con Edison offers additional energy savings tips and 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.

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