Our commitment to clean energy includes 100% clean electricity by 2040, tripling our energy efficiency by 2030, and total support for the use of electric vehicles.
Safety & Environment
Public Safety
When the pandemic began, we helped set up field hospitals, powered testing sites, and made face shields for healthcare workers.
Safety & Environment
Efficiency
To reduce customers’ overall energy use, we’re offering rebates and incentives that will total $1.5 billion by 2025.
Operational Excellence
Renewable Energy
We’re the second largest solar-power producer in North America.
Operational Excellence
Innovation
We’re the first utility in America to install natural-gas detectors that can find gas leaks early and alert emergency responders faster than ever.
Operational Excellence
Accountability
Our company made Newsweek’s list of America’s most responsible companies. Newsweek honors companies that are “good citizens and give back to the communities they operate in.”
Customer & Community
Local Support
The pandemic led to a rise in food insecurity. In 2020, we donated more than $800,000 to organizations that feed the hungry.
Customer & Community
Protecting People
During the pandemic, we discontinued trips to customers’ homes for meter readings and other non-emergencies to keep the public and our employees safe.
Customer & Community
Enhanced Customer Experience
Thanks to our technology, customers can use Google and Amazon Alexa to manage their accounts.
Sustainability Journey
Con Edison has been committed to sustainability for more than two decades—we have learned from our challenges and are proud of our successes. We recognize that sustainability is a journey, and while we have achieved much, we continue to look for ways to improve and meet the needs of our stakeholders.
Everything Con Edison does as a company is with an eye toward creating a more sustainable, clean energy future for our customers, our nation and the planet. We’re committed to providing alternative forms of energy that give consumers more choices and help to make our communities healthier and greener. We understand the threats posed by climate change, and we’re taking bold steps to mitigate those threats and create a better world for ourselves and future generations.
Here’s a snapshot of what we’ve done in the past year:
We developed a climate resiliency and adaptation plan to change how we strengthen our energy systems based on our climate change vulnerability study.
CECONY’s $1.6 billion green bond issuance was the largest of its kind in the U.S.
We’re the second-largest energy producer in North America, and the seventh largest solar provider in the world and we now have a solar energy presence in 20 states.
Con Edison committed to the goal of 100% clean electricity by 2040. To that end, we’re accelerating the move toward electric vehicles by connecting thousands of new public and customer-owned charging stations.
We’re expanding efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels for heating through energy efficiency, investing in emerging technologies and our innovative clean-energy technologies, including our Smart Solutions program.
Con Edison has the largest steam network in the U.S., which eliminates about 1 million tons of carbon dioxide each year.
Our company plans to invest $1.5 billion in energy efficiency by 2025 to meet statewide targets.
2020
Tomorrow’s Clean Energy Future Starts Today
Today our customers are more environmentally conscious than ever. Their passion reinforces our own commitment to combating climate change. We’re experiencing an increase in violent storms, extreme heat, and major flooding. The higher frequency of extreme weather—and our increased dependence on energy in our daily lives—underscores the need for reliability and an accelerated reduction of fossil fuels. That’s why Con Edison commits itself to being a next-generation, clean-energy company, delivering the transition to the clean energy future that our customers deserve and expect.
Here is a snapshot of the past year:
We ranked seventh among solar energy producers worldwide. With a presence in 19 states, we’re also the second largest solar producer in North America.
Con Edison released results of a comprehensive climate change vulnerability study. It found the most significant climate-driven risks to Con Edison’s systems include sea level rise, coastal storm surge, inland flooding from intense rainfall, hurricane-strength winds, and extreme heat. The report estimates the company might need to invest between $1.8 billion and $5.2 billion by 2050 on targeted programs to protect our electric, gas, and steam delivery systems and shield customers from the impacts of climate change.
We joined several coalitions challenging the federal rollbacks of clean-energy standards, including the repeal of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Affordable Clean Energy Rule and the repeal of the Clean Power Plan. We’ve also joined the coalition to defend strong state auto emissions standards.
Con Edison continues to pursue natural gas alternatives, largely in Westchester, including energy efficiency measures, electric heating options, and ground-source heat pumps.
Through our Clean Energy Businesses, we acquired 191 megawatts of solar projects, which includes the 80-megawatt Water Strider Solar in Virginia; the 101-megawatt Battle Mountain Solar in Nevada; and 10-megawatt Lakehurst Solar in New Jersey.
Orange & Rockland continued its first large-scale energy storage deployment in Monsey, Pomona, West Haverstraw, and Blooming Grove.
We experienced an unprecedented outage in July in which 72,000 customers in Manhattan lost power. All customers had their power restored in less than five hours. The cause was determined to be a faulty wiring mistake. Additionally in July, we intentionally turned off equipment in Brooklyn to avoid catastrophic damage. This resulted in an outage for 33,000 customers, while allowing us to keep the power on for 99,000 customers who would have lost power otherwise.
We coordinated more than 125 drills and exercises, including a two-day national exercise, to test our response to physical- and cyber-security threats.
2019
Building Sustainable Communities and a Cleaner Energy Future
Now one of the largest solar producers in North America, Con Edison is leading the way toward a cleaner energy future. We’re developing clean heating technologies as an alternative to fossil fuels, along with modernizing the grid to make it easier for customers to integrate renewable energy sources. As a next generation energy company, Con Edison is supporting a host of schools and community programs that are helping to prepare a whole new generation for green careers.
Additional Highlights:
Acquired solar and wind projects worth $2.1 billion, through our Clean Energy Businesses, making us the second largest solar producer in North America. The acquisitions doubled the amount of green power we own, which will avoid 5.4 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually – equal to removing 1.2 million vehicles from the roads
We’ve placed a temporary moratorium on new gas projects in most of Westchester, where natural gas constraints are severe. To help fill the need, we’re expanding energy efficiency and demand management programs to natural gas customers and seeking smart solutions, such as renewable natural gas and geothermal projects, as an alternative to fossil fuels. We continue to work toward additional gas infrastructure projects that can meet federal and state requirements
Providing low- and moderate-income customers access to the benefits and savings of clean energy by installing solar panels atop New York Housing Authority buildings
Supporting the state’s efforts to develop large-scale renewable generation, including offshore wind, while advocating for utility development and ownership, which would allow customers to reap the benefits and savings of renewable energy
We’re introducing college students to the possibility of future environment and energy careers through our Con Edison Scholars Network. It’s a community of Con Edison STEM Scholarship recipients from colleges and universities in our service area. Students are paired with employees who are alumni from their schools for mentorship. Networking and professional development helps foster their growth and excitement for science, technology, engineering and math careers
We are leading the transition to a clean energy economy by investing in renewables, energy-efficiency
programs for both electric and natural gas customers, and customer-focused power
generation, which will all result in significant environmental, social and economic improvements.
Additional Highlights:
Our September announcement of a $1.6 billion acquisition of solar and wind projects will move us from the sixth to the second largest solar producer in North America;
this doubles the amount of green
power we own, which will prevent 5.4 million metric tons of carbon
emissions annually – equal to removing 1.2 million vehicles from the
roads
We are the first utility in the country to install game-changing smart natural gas detectors that can detect gas leaks early and notify emergency responders faster than customer calls usually do
The March Nor’easters caused more outages in Westchester than
Hurricane Irene in 2011; in response, the company committed to
invest $100 million in Westchester to make the overhead system
more storm-resilient and to address hazardous trees on private
property to encourage removal and minimize outages
In July, an underground steam pipe ruptured in the Flatiron district
that released asbestos, steam and debris onto the streets, sidewalks
and more than 40 buildings; the cause is being investigated by Con
Edison and the New York State Public Service Commission
Con Edison and O&R crews were part of a massive mutual-aid campaign to restore power in Puerto Rico, which was devastated by the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. More than 100 company vehicles and some 500 employees, including power line workers, technical specialists, and support personnel, were involved.
We are leading the transition to a clean energy economy by investing in renewables, energy-efficiency
programs for both electric and natural gas customers, and customer-focused power
generation, which will all result in significant environmental, social and economic improvements.
Additional Highlights:
The New York State Public Service Commission reached a $153 million settlement with us related to the investigation of a 2014 East Harlem gas explosion. Since that incident, we’ve greatly increased investments in our gas systems to further enhance public safety
Hundreds of Con Edison personnel and contractors cleaned up insulating oil released from one of our transformers in a Brooklyn substation. The transformer contained 37,000 gallons of oil, of which 6,400 gallons was recovered from the damaged equipment. The remainder was released onto the soil at the substation. Some of the oil leaked into the East River. About 560 gallons was recovered from the river. The oil contained low levels of PCBs ranging from 6 to 8 parts per million. During cleanup, the Coast Guard issued speed restrictions. Those restrictions were reduced as oil sheens dissipated. We are upgrading our spill containment to prevent a reoccurrence
The New York League of Conservation Voters, a group that includes business leaders, environmentalists, and politicians, honored us at their annual gala
This summer, we began the installation of more than 5 million smart meters, which will give customers
unprecedented control over their energy use.
We’re the fifth-largest solar producer in North America, and we’ve invested more than $2.5 billion in renewable energy projects in 16 states.
Additional Highlights:
Our New York City customers have completed 9,700 solar-related projects, producing 101.2 megawatts. That’s enough energy to power 15,000 homes
O&R completed a solar installation project in Orangeburg—the first solar installation on a capped landfill in New York State
New York City’s largest solar installation, in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, is a Con Edison project
Our steam-gathering stations reduced carbon dioxide emissions by seven percent compared to the 2008-2009 average. That’s equal to taking 44,000 cars off the road
JD Power ranked us No. 1 in customer satisfaction among large utilities in the East
We are meeting customer demand for choice, convenience, and control through our Advanced Metering Infrastructure initiative.
This smart meter technology will reduce operating costs and improve customer service. Over the next five years, we will invest $1.3 billion to install smart meters and advanced communication systems throughout New York City, and Westchester, Orange, and Rockland counties. It’s the biggest capital improvement project in our history.
Additional Highlights:
Ranked No. 1 among utilities in the Eastern U.S. by J.D. Power for our focus on the customer experience
Named “Investor-Owned Utility of the Year” by the Solar Electric Power Association for smart-grid technology that connects large solar installations to the grid
Exceeded our target of replacing 65 miles of cast iron and unprotected steel pipe, even with a doubling in the number of gas-odor calls we’ve responded to in the past two years
Invested more than $626 million to strengthen and expand infrastructure
Converted more than 1,300 large New York City buildings from oil to gas, and installed another 2,200 new business services. The 1,300 conversions have reduced emissions of 92 tons of fine particulate matter. That’s equivalent to taking about 300,000 cars off the road
Ranked sixth among the top solar project owners in North America; invested $778 million in renewable projects
An explosion involving natural gas leveled two buildings in East Harlem and eight lives were tragically lost. We have increased gas safety patrols to help identify leaks sooner and prevent accidents. To better educate the public about gas leaks, Con Edison has created an online gas map and enhanced communications about the importance of reporting the smell of gas.
Additional Highlights:
We invested $2.3 billion to keep our electric, gas, and steam systems reliable, resilient, and secure
We’re now more than halfway through our four-year plan to fortify our energy infrastructure against changing weather patterns
We added solar farms in California, Nevada, and Texas. We also augmented our renewable profile by entering the wind market with projects in Ohio, Nebraska, and South Dakota
Our customers installed nearly 3,000 new solar systems – more than all in our combined history – in our service territory from Orange County to Staten Island
Gas additions to two steam plants significantly reduce the CECONY fleet’s use of oil as a primary fuel, resulting in an average reduction of 150,000 short tons of CO2 emissions annually.
Additional Highlights:
Sustainability Strategy re-designed by Leadership Team to better embrace the triple bottom line
Received Outstanding Achievement in Residential Program Design and Implementation, and Outstanding
Achievement in Pricing and Demand Response for CoolNYC program, along with ThinkEco, from the
Association of Energy Services Professionals
O&R named 2013 Business Leader of the Year, by Leadership Rockland
Superstorm Sandy hits Northeast region and is the
worst natural disaster to strike Con Edison’s customers in the company’s history. Sandy caused five times as
many outages as the next-largest storm, totaling 1.1 million customer outages. Within 12 days, the company had restored service
to 98 percent of the customers affected by the storm.
As a result of Superstorm Sandy, and in acknowledgement of the influences of climate change, the company has committed $1B in storm hardening
activities to improve grid resiliency from future storms.
Additional Highlights:
CECONY dealt with the challenges associated with the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement
with Local 1-2 of the Utility Workers Union of America. By the expiration date at midnight on June 30,
2012, the parties were still not in agreement. In the early hours of July 1, the union did not agree to
company proposals to extend the contract or to sign a separate agreement providing there would be
no-strike or lockout without advance notice. The company believed it would be unfair to ask Con Edison
customers to live under the threat of a sudden strike that could undermine the reliability of their
energy services, and concluded it had no choice but to lock out the union employees to protect the
safety of the system and provide its customers uninterrupted service. The lockout lasted for just under
a month, concluding with an agreement reached on July 26th
CECONY achieves its 5-year OSHA goal two years ahead of schedule, cutting the rate by more than half from a 3.24 to 1.28
Con Edison Development becomes 5th largest solar producer in North America
Con Edison Solutions was again recognized by Johnson County in Kansas where our Kansas office won a
“Green Business Award” in recognition of its achievements in promoting sustainability and environmental
responsibility
Exceeded our 2020 goal to reduce GHG Emissions 40%.
Additional Highlights:
Met extreme weather challenges including Hurricane Irene (200,000 outages were most in Company history to date), heat waves, and a Halloween snowstorm
Oil-to-Gas Conversion Group established
First GRI Index published
Con Edison Solutions announces City of New Bedford, MA city-wide, multi-site solar power initiative that will reduce the City's overall energy spending through a goal of installing up to 10 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy, enough to power approximately 1,500 homes
Con Edison Developments’ 20-Megawatt installation in Pilesgrove, NJ, one of the largest in the country, ground-breaking is announced
Additional Highlights:
Ranked first among all S&P 500 companies by the Carbon Disclosure Project in its Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index, as well as first among utilities in the new Carbon Performance Leadership Index
Received Honorable Mention in the EPA WasteWise Partner of the Year Award for recycling over 60,000 tons of materials
Earned perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, which rates company practices and policies related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees
Con Edison Solutions installs its first behind the meter solar power at seven sites in MA
Con Edison Solutions was recognized by Johnson County in Kansas where our Kansas office won a “Green Business Award” in recognition of its achievements in promoting sustainability and environmental responsibility
Resolved three water-related consent orders for a total cost of over $6.5M
CECONY begins participation in first RGGI compliance period.
Additional Highlights:
Named to Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the first time
Newsweek magazine named Con Edison to its Green Rankings list as one of the country’s most environmentally friendly utility companies
Con Edison Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards Programs initiated
5-year goal to drop OSHA rate to first-quartile performance established
Dunwoodie substation fire and release of approx. 15,000 gallons of oil to the environment accelerates water vulnerability assessment and establishment of corporate Spill Management Team
Sustainability Strategy first established and first Sustainability Report published.
Additional Highlights:
Con Edison Solutions earned a Supplier Excellence Award under the 2008 United States Postal Service Supplier Performance Awards Program
Installed our first green roof at our training facility in Long Island City, in cooperation with Columbia University’s Center for Climate Systems Research
Recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for replacing paper insulated lead-covered cable with nonleaded solid dielectric cable
A 24-inch steam main rupture in Midtown Manhattan, opening a 35-foot wide crater in the middle of Lexington Ave. and injuring 45 people. Con Edison
immediately declares the area an asbestos-containment zone and takes all appropriate precautions,
demonstrating our lessons learned from the Gramercy Park and Arthur Kill events.
Additional Highlights:
CECONY reaches a 75% reduction in hazardous waste generation from 1997 levels
Named top-ranked US Utility for S&P 500 by the Carbon Disclosure Project
Honored by the Financial Times/Citi Private Bank for the “Greatest Improvement in carbon efficiency achieved by a large Enterprise in the Americas”
Ranked second of 27 international utilities in environmental and social performance by Innovest Strategic Value Advisors
Con Edison declares full commercial operation of its East River Repowering Project with two
state-of-the-art, natural-gas-fired steam generators which began providing steam for the company’s district
steam system, and supplying electricity to New York’s grid. The two newly installed steam-electric generators
have up-to-date emission-control technology and burn natural gas exclusively, making the East River station one
of the cleanest combustion facilities in New York.
Additional Highlights:
Con Edison was named as a “Champion of Diversity” by the New York Urban League
An energized service box electrocutes a 30-year-old-woman. Con Edison develops an inspection and repair program aimed at eliminating contact (stray) voltage and improving public safety.
Additional Highlights:
Establishes Demand Side Management Program
Clean Air Communities wins at New York State Department of Conversation Environmental Awards for four projects executed in partnership with Con Edison
Con Edison Solutions: Earns Quality Supplier of the Year from U.S. Postal Service for millions of dollars of energy savings at hundreds of USPS locations in New York.
Con Edison is named Energy Company of the
Year at the Global Energy Awards sponsored by Platts/Business Week. Criteria for the award are overall
excellence in safety, the delivery of energy, customer care, technological innovation, and environmental
concern.
Additional Highlights:
The EPA awards Con Edison the following:
Clean Air Excellence Award for Hunts Point Market Truck Electrification Project
Environmental Quality Award for mercury gauge exchange program
Con Edison requires all responding employees to wear
respirators. As a result, zero work-related illnesses are reported among company responders.
Additional Highlights:
Con Edison endorses the Ceres Principles
The National Arbor Day Foundation names O&R a “Tree Line USA Utility” for the first time for leadership in tree maintenance along company rights-of-way; the company will go on to win this award numerous times
Con Edison wins the 2001 “WasteWise Champion” award for a series of recycling and other environmentally conscious actions
2000
U.S. Coast Guard William N. Berkert Award
Con Edison is honored by the U.S. Coast Guard with the William M. Benkert Award for Excellence in Marine Environmental Protection. This is the Coast Guard’s most prestigious environmental protection award and is presented in recognition of the company’s outstanding achievements extending far beyond compliance with industrial and regulatory standards.
Additional Highlights:
CECONY first approved for company-wide certification to the International Organization for Standardization 14001 Environmental Management System Standard
First electronic waste recycling contract established
1999
Commitment to reduce SF6 fugitive
Continuing the commitment
to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, CECONY commits to its first SF6 reduction goal, a 5% reduction from a
1996 baseline (we have reduced our SF6 emissions over 90%) as a founding member of the SF6
Emissions Reduction Partnership for Electric Power Systems.
Additional Highlights:
Con Edison Solutions begins offering wind and hydropower to its customers
1998
Arthur Kill Fire
A fire at the Arthur Kill generating station exposes
more than 250 emergency workers to PCBs. Con Edison does not immediately disclose their risk of exposure.
The company later settles the rescuers’ lawsuit for $2 million.
1996
EPA Wastewise
Con Edison voluntarily joins more than 800 businesses and
state and local governments to participate in the federal EPA WasteWise program to reduce municipal solid waste.
1994
1989 Gramercy Park Steam Explosion
Con Edison pleads guilty to
conspiracy and environmental-law violations
for failing to tell authorities of asbestos release as a result of the 1989 Gramercy Park Steam
explosion. The company is convicted as a criminal and sentenced to three years probation under a
federal court monitor.
1993
EPA’s Gas Star Program
As a part of our commitment
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Con
Edison becomes one of the first American gas distribution utility companies to voluntarily join
the EPA’s Gas STAR Program to reduce fugitive methane emissions.
