NYC HEATWAVE: Power problems force Con Edison to temporarily shut off nearly 10,000 Queens customers; nearly 400,000 others have voltage reduced

Key Points:

• Approximately 9,800 customers in Southwestern Queens, including Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, and South Ozone Park, lost power on July 3 due to Con Edison pulling plugs to expedite equipment repairs and prevent larger outages.
• Con Edison reduced voltage by 8% across nearly 400,000 customers in Brooklyn and Queens to manage unprecedented electrical demand amid a severe heatwave, urging residents to conserve energy by limiting air conditioner and large appliance use.
• Power outages and equipment failures were largely weather-related, caused by extreme heat and high electricity usage as temperatures reached up to 100 degrees with real-feel temperatures near 110-115 degrees.
• Con Edison is distributing dry ice to affected residents at Resorts World Casino and coordinating with the city’s Emergency Management office, while encouraging customers to use cooling centers and report medical emergencies immediately.
• Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Con Edison both urged residents to conserve energy by setting air conditioners to 78ºF, turning off non-essential electronics, and using cooling centers if needed to help stabilize the power grid during the ongoing heatwave.