Con Edison reports personal record for natural gas distribution in 2017
Con Edison, which provides electric, gas, and steam service to 3.4 million customers in New York, reported ending 2017 with a personal record–1.3 million dekatherms of gas distributed over the course of New Year’s Eve alone, to combat the icy winter.
It was not their only end of year record, either. Between Dec. 30 and 31, they sent out electricity over 337,323 megawatt (MW) hours, shattering the previous record of 321,947 that had held since January 2014. This culminated in an all-time peak demand for Sunday electric usage on New Year’s Eve that reached 8,183 MW at 7 p.m.
Unforgiving cold has pummeled the eastern parts of the United States, and such efforts at heating demonstrate the amount of energy being expended trying to combat it. With colder days still to come according to meteorological predictions, Con Edison has also taken steps to prepare its customers for the days ahead.
Aside from incentivizing its customers to upgrade their heating and cooling equipment, they have also posted reminders about money-saving heating tips, and suggested such measures for cold prevention as weather-stripping attic stairways and access openings, drawing in natural light, and closing hot air vents or radiators in unused rooms.
