Con Edison begins five-year plan to install interrupters to improve reliability

Over the next five years, Con Edison plans to install 100 new “interrupters” on underground electric delivery equipment in Brooklyn and Queens.

An interrupter is a device that swiftly detects and “interrupts” problems within underground electrical systems. They function as circuit breakers, reducing the impact of electrical issues by keeping a portion of a cable in service when a fault occurs. This ensures a continued flow of energy to many of the customers served by that cable, reducing the likelihood of larger outages.

Con Edison crews have already installed 20 interrupters.

“As temperatures rise, the demand for electricity to cool homes and buildings increases substantially,” Jamie Brennan, vice president, Brooklyn and Queens Electric Operations at Con Edison, said. “Implementing these advanced interrupters is a crucial step in enhancing our system’s efficiency, reducing safety hazards and mitigating prolonged customer outages.”

This technology will help Con Edison maintain its reliability as the demand for electricity increases during the summer months and as more New Yorkers transition away from fossil fuels.

The interrupters improve upon an electric delivery system that is already among the most reliable in the world. The typical Con Edison customer experiences only one outage every seven years, not counting interruptions caused by storms.

Con Edison, a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, delivers electricity, natural gas and steam, and serves 3.7 million customers in New York City and Westchester County.

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