Con Edison, NYCHA Complete Inspections, Upgrades at 29 Buildings

Con Edison has completed inspections and service upgrades at 29 NYCHA buildings, ensuring that residents will be able to use the new air conditioners they will receive under a city program.

The company, working with NYCHA, reviewed the energy usage and equipment at more than 200 buildings and identified 29 of those for inspections. The company conducted those inspections with NYCHA and upgraded the service lines at 19 of the 29 buildings, giving those buildings the capacity to run the air conditioners. The service lines at the remaining 10 buildings did not require upgrades.

The service line carries electricity from Con Edison’s electric-delivery cables in the street to a building.

The project fits with the Con Edison and NYCHA objective of keeping people safe and comfortable during a summer when the coronavirus will remain a threat to health.

The 29 lines that crews inspected were at 13 NYCHA developments. There were two developments in Brooklyn, five in the Bronx and six in Manhattan. The city is providing up to 74,000 air conditioners to low-income seniors. About 22,000 of those units are going to NYCHA residents.

Con Edison and NYCHA are working together on another energy initiative called “Community Power,” which is a demonstration project that would place solar panels on the roofs of NYCHA developments. It is part of Con Edison’s effort to make renewable energy available to low- and moderate-income customers.

The project would give 350 low- and moderate-income households access to solar energy for a discounted price. Up to 15 NYCHA residents would receive paid job training and be hired to install the panels. The 1-MW solar initiative would avoid the emission of more than 1.7 million pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

Solar One is Con Edison’s lead partner on the project. WE ACT for Environmental Justice and the Brooklyn Movement Center will help enroll customers. Green City Force will recruit NYCHA residents for the paid solar installer apprenticeships.

Co-op Power will finance the solar project with support from Resonant Energy, and Accord Power will complete the installation.

Con Edison invested $1.3bn to prepare its electric-delivery systems across New York City and Westchester County for summer 2020. Along with installing new underground and overhead lines, transformers, network protectors, substation equipment and other components, the company is taking advantage of battery technology, solar and energy efficiency to keep service reliable, prevent emissions and help customers save.