Con Ed Pleads With Forest Hills To Save Energy During Heat Wave

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — In the midst of New York City's hottest three-day stretch of the year, Con Edison sent a statement out Tuesday night specifically asking residents in central Queens and the Upper West Side to conserve energy while company crews repair equipment.

Con Ed has already reduced voltage in parts of Forest Hills, Rego Park, Glendale, and Middle Village by 5 percent to protect equipment and maintain services as crews make repairs.

Although the energy company's statement says that it is asking parts of "western Queens" to conserve energy, the 115,000 customers who are affected by the reduced voltage live in central Queens neighborhoods.

Con Ed's message is specifically directed toward anyone who lives in the area of Queens 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 — central Queens.

The energy company is asking customers in the area to not use energy-intensive appliances such as washers, dryers, and microwaves until crews complete repairs. The company did not specify when the repairs would be done.

Con Ed also asked the 115,000 Queens residents to limit unnecessary use of air conditioning.

"If you have two air conditioners, use only one and set it to the highest comfortable temperature," Con Ed wrote in the statement.

It is 60 degrees in Forest Hills as of 10 a.m., with highs expected to reach the mid-90s by this afternoon.

Con Edison did not immediately respond to Patch's question of what specific repairs were going on, why the repairs were being done just in central Queens and on the UWS, and why those repairs were being done during the hottest stretch of days in 2021.

Con Ed provides an outage map if the power does go off anywhere in the city.

Patch editor Gus Saltonstall contributed to this report.