Con Edison has restored electricity to more than 1,600 customers in Southeast Queens and continues working to bring service back to more than 6,200 others amid an intense heat wave straining the city’s power grid.
To maintain reliability while repair crews work, the utility company has reduced voltage by 8% in the affected area and is urging customers to conserve energy.
The impacted zone stretches from Grand Central Parkway in the north to Jamaica Bay in the south, and from the Nassau County line in the east to Queens Boulevard and the Van Wyck Expressway in the west. It includes neighborhoods such as Bellaire, Bellerose, Cambria Heights, Floral Park, Glen Oaks, Hollis, Jamaica, Laurelton, Queens Village, Springfield Gardens, St. Albans and South Jamaica—home to approximately 166,000 customers.
“We’re asking customers to help us maintain system reliability by cutting back on non-essential energy use while our crews make repairs,” Con Edison stated. “This helps prevent additional outages and speeds up restoration.”
In a post on X, Con Edison said the estimated time for full power restoration in the affected areas is around 9 p.m. tonight, though that timeline is subject to change based on field conditions.
Residents are being asked to avoid using high-energy appliances such as washers, dryers, and microwaves. The utility is also requesting that households run only one air conditioner, if possible, and set it to the highest comfortable temperature. Electric vehicle charging should be postponed unless absolutely necessary.
Con Edison emphasized that the equipment issues in Southeast Queens are isolated and do not impact the rest of the city’s power system. The company is coordinating efforts with New York City Emergency Management.
Priority for restoration is being given to critical public infrastructure such as mass transit systems, hospitals, firehouses, and water-pumping stations. Once these essential services are stabilized, crews will focus on repairing outages affecting the greatest number of customers, followed by smaller groups and individual households.
Residents can report outages and track restoration progress through Con Edison’s mobile app, online at conEd.com/reportoutage, or by calling 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). Those reporting an outage are encouraged to mention whether neighbors are also without power. Customers who report outages will receive estimated restoration times via text or phone updates.
For public safety, Con Edison strongly advises people to stay away from downed power lines, which may be live and extremely dangerous. Crews may be stationed nearby to monitor the wires until repairs are completed, and utility workers—sometimes in unmarked vehicles—will always carry Con Edison identification.
The company also issued additional safety tips:
- Never touch or move downed wires or anything in contact with them.
- Do not plug generators into wall outlets or operate them indoors.
- If a power line falls on your vehicle, remain inside until help arrives.
- Turn off appliances to prevent circuit overloads when power returns.
- Keep phones and battery-powered radios charged and have extra batteries on hand.
As summer temperatures soar, the company stressed the importance of community-wide cooperation in conserving energy to keep Queens safe and cool. New York City has opened cooling centers across the five boroughs to help residents stay safe during the heat wave. Locations and hours can be found by calling 311 or visiting NYC.gov/beattheheat.
