Consolidated Edison has reduced voltage by five to eight percent in parts of Brooklyn and Queens because of problems with electrical cables, as the heat continues to push the city’s power grid to its limit.
NYC Transit says because of the power reductions, elevators and escalators at the Pacific Street/Atlantic Avenue complex, Borough Hall and Court Street stations have been shut down. It is urging customers who use the elevators and escalators at those stations to make alternate travel plans.
Con Ed is reporting power outages in four of the five boroughs and crews are working to restore power across the city.
Con Ed is urging customers to conserve power by closing shades and blinds, and turning off non-essential appliances.
The company also wants customers to use washers, dryers or dishwashers only during off peak hours and keep thermostats no lower than 78 degrees.
To report any service problems, call 1-800-75-CON ED.
And while it’s not expected to be as hot as yesterday, temperatures are still forecasted to be in the high 90s. It may feel like 100-105 due to the humidity.
City officials are asking New Yorkers to look out for each other during the heat wave.
“Obviously we want to remind people to be careful, to stay out of the heat if they can. People under the age of 5, children, seniors above the age of 64 are most vulnerable,” said Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Joseph Bruno. “We want neighbors to look in on neighbors that we know are in there just make sure they’re cool.”
(Source: NY1)
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2 Responses
How about expanding the use of nuclear power? Build new power plants? Drilling in the ANWR in Alaska? Expand drilling in the continental U.S.? But no! We have to buckle under the intimidating tactics of the enviromentalists!
Your Sister,
ConEd’s problems are not caused by a lack of power sources, but by weaknesses within its grid. Drilling for more oil or building new power plants wouldn’t fix anything as the problem lies in the delivery of power, not its extraction.
In fact, real solutions to problems like this would be the implementation of a smart grid, to better distribute power and make it easier to locate and fix problems. ConEd itself is behind such a project in Queens, funded by the stimulus bill passed last year.
http://www.smartmeters.com/the-news/1068-con-edison-gets-animated-about-smart-grid.html
Another solution would be reducing individual reliance on the grid, by increasing the use of alternative fuel sources, such as installing solar panels on homes and businesses. This is something that environmentalists (and others) have long advocated, and I don’t think I would consider it an “intimidating tactic.”
In fact, what exactly are you referring to with that phrase?