Summer’s First Heat Wave Is Here, And So Are Savings Opportunities

Con Edison reminds customers that with temperatures reaching into the 90s this week, it’s a great time to conserve energy, save money and help keep service reliable.

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. Call your local police department or 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633) to report downed wires.

The company also encourages customers to consider solar energy, energy efficiency programs, demand response and other products and services that limit the amount of power drawn from the grid at peak times.

How to Report an Outage

Customers can sign up for text alerts at coned.com/text. Customers can also report outages and check service restoration status at conEd.com/reportoutage or with Con Edison’s mobile app for iOS or Android devices, or by calling 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633).

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.

Con Edison sent texts to 1.7 million customers informing them that the company is mobilized for the heat and providing them with guidance on outage reporting.

Energy Efficiency Programs

Con Edison encourages customers to consider its energy efficiency programs to save energy and money.

For this summer, Con Edison is offering residential customers:

A $50 discount for buying a smart thermostat at the Con Edison Marketplace and another $85 for registering it with Con Edison’s Bring Your Own Thermostat (BYOT) Program.
Rebates on heat pumps that can also cool your home.

Con Edison is offering incentives for commercial and industrial customers. They include:

Cash incentives for installing energy efficient electric and gas equipment.
Instant lighting incentives.
Savings for upgrading to more efficient LED lighting. Get up to $300 per LED fixture.
Small and medium-size businesses can get a free, no-obligation energy assessment of their facility. Con Edison will pay up to 70 percent of the cost for qualified lighting, HVAC, refrigeration and gas system upgrades.

Conservation Tips

New Yorkers can stay cool and save all summer by following these money-saving conservation tips:

Set your air conditioner to the highest comfortable temperature. Every degree you lower the thermostat increases costs;
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 cooler outside;
When the AC is running, close doors to keep cool air in and hot air out;
Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed. About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows;
Even when using AC, use ceiling and other fans to provide additional cooling and better circulation;
Turn off AC units, 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;
Keep AC filters clean.

Replacing an old air conditioner with a new ENERGY STAR unit can reduce energy usage by 30 percent.

Con Edison offers additional energy savings tips.

Con Edison invested $1.5 billion to prepare for the summer of 2021. That money went into cable, transformers, network protectors, substation equipment and other components that make the electric-delivery system reliable.

Cooling Centers

New York City offers cooling centers to give people places to take a break from the heat: https://maps.nyc.gov/cooling-center/ Westchester County offers tips for staying safe in the heat.

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