Brooklyn Boils As 1,200 Con Edison Customers Sweat Through Power Outage

More than 1,200 Con Edison customers in Brooklyn lost power Friday just as the borough braced for a dangerously hot Fourth of July weekend, not exactly the holiday vibe anyone ordered. In Bushwick and nearby neighborhoods, residents reported flickering lights and low voltage while air conditioners struggled to keep up. Crews were working in the heat as public-health officials warned that outages during extreme temperatures can be especially hazardous for older adults and people without reliable cooling.

According to News12 Brooklyn, more than 1,200 customers appeared as out of service on Con Edison’s outage map, and others told reporters they were dealing with “low voltage” that dimmed lights and left AC units underpowered. From Bushwick, News12 described neighbors heading to friends’ homes and public spaces to stay cool while utility crews tried to get the lights, and the cold air, back on.

Con Edison said it reduced voltage in parts of northern Brooklyn by about 8 percent “to protect equipment and maintain service” and asked customers in those zones to conserve energy by avoiding the use of multiple air conditioners, washers, dryers and EV chargers at the same time, per a company statement. The affected area included parts of Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, and the utility said crews were making repairs in the borough, according to Con Edison.

The National Weather Service issued an Extreme Heat Warning for the region through 9 p.m. Saturday, signaling that dangerously high heat and humidity are expected and that any power outage could quickly turn risky for people without air conditioning, per the National Weather Service. Forecasters warned that thick humidity would make it feel significantly hotter than the actual air temperature.

Where to get help and report problems

Customers who have lost power, or who are seeing dim or stuttering electrical service, are urged to report the problem and check restoration status through Con Edison outage tools, which include an interactive map and an online reporting form. For a place to cool down, the city has activated hundreds of cooling centers and is urging New Yorkers to use its Cool Options Finder or call 311. Public-health outreach teams are also fanning out to check on vulnerable residents, according to New York City Emergency Management. Officials remind residents to steer clear of any downed wires and to call 911 for immediate hazards.

Brooklyn’s electrical network has already shown how fragile it can be during rough weather. Earlier this year, salt-corroded cables and damaged underground equipment helped trigger large outages, underscoring how storms, heat and aging infrastructure can team up to leave whole blocks in the dark. Residents and local leaders have continued to push for faster repairs and clearer communication when the grid falters during dangerous weather.

Crews remained on the ground in Brooklyn on Friday, with residents urged to keep an eye on Con Edison’s outage map and city resources for the latest on restoration times and available cooling centers. Officials say conserving energy during peak hours helps protect the system while repairs are underway.