As Brooklyn swelters under the city’s first major heat wave of the year, Con Edison is urging more than 100,000 customers in parts of the borough to cut back on energy use while crews work to repair damaged equipment.
With an extreme heat warning in effect through Wednesday and temperatures expected to approach 100 degrees on Tuesday, with a heat index possibly reaching 110, the utility has reduced voltage by 8% in parts of northern and eastern Brooklyn to protect its infrastructure and maintain service.
The affected area spans neighborhoods including Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Greenpoint and Williamsburg, and is roughly bounded by the Brooklyn-Queens border and Newtown Creek to the north, Fulton Street to the south, the borough line to the east, and Graham and Throop avenues to the west. A second area under voltage reduction stretches from Fulton Street south to Clarendon Road, and from New York Avenue east to Alabama Avenue.
Close to 117,500 customers are being asked to avoid using energy-intensive appliances such as washing machines, dryers and microwaves until repairs are completed. Con Edison is also asking residents to limit unnecessary air conditioning use, suggesting those with multiple units rely on just one and set it to the highest comfortable temperature. Customers are also being asked to refrain from charging electric vehicles unless absolutely necessary.
The issue comes as an early summer heat wave grips the city, with Brooklynites heading to beaches, cooling centers, and playground sprinklers to escape the intense heat. City officials have urged residents to stay hydrated, avoid prolonged outdoor activity and check on vulnerable neighbors.
The utility company said the equipment issues are contained to the affected neighborhoods and are not impacting the rest of the Con Edison system. The company is in contact with New York City Emergency Management.
Customers can report outages or check the status of service restoration at conEd.com/reportoutage, on the Con Edison mobile app, or by calling 1-800-75-CONED.
