Senator Parker Urges the NYS Public Service Commission to Investigate Con Edison

(Brooklyn, New York) - In a letter to Public Service Commission (PSC) Chair John B. Rhodes, State Senator Kevin Parker condemned Con Edison for their lack of preparation for the rising heat, and implored the PSC to launch an immediate investigation into the utility’s shortcomings that left many New York City residents powerless during the first heat wave of 2019.  

On Sunday, July 21, more than 33,000 Brooklyn residents lost power just one week after parts of midtown Manhattan experienced similar blackouts due to systematic failures at Consolidated Edison.  Senator Parker, who currently serves as the Chair of the New York State Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee stated:

 “I have written directly to the Chairman Rhodes and the Public Service Commission requesting them to take a comprehensive look at Con Edison’s performance over the last month, and the issues that led to these recent blackouts. The power outages that affected Brooklyn and other parts of New York City is unacceptable.”

“Con Edison must be held accountable to ratepayers so that failures of this proportion costs the utility more financially than it would have if they initially invested more in preventative, proactive measures like grid reliability and resiliency upgrades to strengthen the system and thwart future blackouts.  Or improvements to their Relay Protection Systems that they reported to be the primary cause for the blackout in Midtown,” concluded Parker.

About Senator Kevin Parker:

Senator Kevin Parker represents Brooklyn’s ethnically diverse 21st Senate District comprised of sections of Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Ditmas Park, Kensington, Windsor Terrace, and Park Slope.  A lifelong Brooklyn resident, Senator Parker has the honor of serving his community as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Telecommunications, and on the Senate Standing Committees on Finance; Rules; Alcoholism & Substance Abuse; Insurance; and Banks.

For more information on Senator Parker, please visit www.nysenate.gov/senators/kevin-s-parker