NEW YORK, NY — More than 1,000 power outages were averted during the Blizzard of 2016 because of $1 billion in upgrades to Con Edison’s infrastructure over the past three years.
Approximately 4,500 storm-related power outages occurred between Friday night and Monday morning throughout Con Edison’s service area. All those customers were restored by Monday afternoon.
Con Edison’s metrics directly point to more than 1,000 customers in Brooklyn and Queens who would have experienced outages if not for new equipment installed along overhead wiring that is designed to make the system more resilient by reducing or preventing outages. This equipment includes “smart switches,” which minimize the number of customers impacted by falling power lines. (Click here to see B-roll video of company crews installing a smart switch.)
The storm-hardening improvements began in 2013 after Superstorm Sandy and will continue through 2016.
Con Edison said its crews are now responding around the clock this week to scattered power disruptions caused by snow melt and road salt runoff that can cause fires in underground electrical equipment.
The high point for outages occurred at 11 a.m. Saturday with 1,010 customers reporting power loss; however crews responded quickly to restore power in the heavy snow and high winds. Con Edison provides electric service to 3.3 million customers in New York City and Westchester County.
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.
Customers can also download Con Edison’s free iPhone and Android app, My conEdison, to report and check the status of a power problem, and view the company’s interactive online outage map.
Customers can follow Con Edison on Twitter or like us on Facebook for general outage updates, safety tips and storm preparation information.