News
Con Edison Media Relations
Contact: Michael Clendenin
Telephone: (212) 460-4111
For Immediate Release: September 16, 2001
CON EDISON CONTINUES TO URGE CUSTOMERS IN LOWER MANHATTAN TO LIMIT ELECTRICITY USE
Service Restoration Efforts Continue
NEW YORK- Con Edison is urging businesses and residents in lower Manhattan, especially the area south of Spring Street, river to river, to restrict their electric usage solely to essential needs. Tuesday’s terrorist attack heavily damaged the utility’s electric distribution infrastructure, and as a result, electric capacity to supply the normally heavy electrical load is severely diminished. Air conditioning and other energy intensive equipment should not be operated until the company is certain that the electrical system in the area is stable and the supply is sufficient.
“We are re-routing feeder cables to increase the electric capacity, which involves many complex steps. Cooperation from our customers will expedite the process and will help to ensure that the power remains on and that our electrical equipment doesn’t sustain any further damage that could prolong the outage,” said Robert W. Donohue, senior vice president of Electric Operations for Con Edison.
More than 1,900 Con Edison workers are laboring in the area around the clock to restore power to lower Manhattan and thousands more are working behind the scenes to support their efforts. Service to 4,000 customers was restored late Friday night, and the task of returning power to the rest of lower Manhattan continues.
City officials have opened a help center for businesses in the financial district seeking information about the restoration of utilities and telephone service. The center, located at 80 Pine Street, is open from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. daily with representatives from Con Edison on site.
