July 21, 2020 By Allie Griffin
Con Edison is asking customers in multiple Queens neighborhoods to reduce their energy usage, despite the current heat wave rocking New York City.
The company has asked customers in Glendale, Forest Hills, Forest Hills Gardens and Middle Village to keep their air conditioners turned off — if not needed for health or medical reasons — while workers repair equipment.
A lack of AC will be difficult for the 116,300 customers in the affected neighborhoods, as temperatures climb to 90 degrees or higher for the fourth consecutive day in the Big Apple.
Con Edison has also asked customers in the four neighborhoods to avoid using other “energy-intensive” appliances, such as washers, dryers and microwaves until the repairs are completed.
The company reduced the voltage in the area by 8 percent Monday night to protect equipment and maintain service as crews make repairs.
The service area is bounded by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and 51st Avenue on the north, the Jackie Robinson Parkway on the south, Queens Boulevard on the east, and the Brooklyn borough line on the west.
Customers can report outages and check service restoration status at www.conEd.com/reportoutage, or with the Con Edison mobile app for iOS or Android devices, or by calling 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). When calling, customers should report whether their neighbors also have lost power. Customers who report outages will receive updates with their estimated restoration times as they become available.