Press Release

NEW YORK, April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc. (Con Edison) is spending an additional $315 million on a comprehensive five-year program to improve its electrical distribution system throughout its service area of New York City and Westchester County, company officials reported today from the Con Edison Learning Center in Long Island City, New York.

''The company's goal is to further improve the most reliable energy distribution system in the country,'' said Robert W. Donohue, senior vice president of electric operations for Con Edison.

The current program incorporates $100 million extra added to this year's budget. To date, $119 million has been spent, including:

-- $30 million expended on the distribution system, with upgrades to feeder cables and transformers
-- $6 million expended on transmission cable upgrades
-- $7 million expended on substation installations and circuit breakers

''We have been working diligently on this ambitious system reinforcement program, which includes additional testing, repairs and replacements of feeder cables and components throughout our service area. We are committed to continue to improve our system in order to provide New Yorkers with the high level of service that they expect and deserve,'' said Donohue.

In order to help facilitate the work, Con Edison hired an additional 204 employees in its Electric Operations and its Substation Operations and Maintenance Services departments. These employees joined the existing workforce to help complete the system enhancement program in time for this summer's peak-load season.

Work performed so far this year to prepare for peak summer demand includes:

76 miles of underground and aerial feeder cables replaced
480 cable joints replaced
128 new transformers installed
5 electrical (4kV) unit substations enhanced and upgraded
Replaced major power transformers at the Jamaica Substation in Queens and at the Greenwood Substation in Brooklyn

-- Added new distribution feeder positions in substations at:
-- West 42nd Street, Manhattan
-- West 110th Street, Manhattan
-- Brownsville, Brooklyn
-- Elmsford, Westchester County

-- Upgraded transformer circuit breakers at the following substations:
-- Sherman Creek, Manhattan
-- Avenue A, Manhattan
-- West 19th Street, Manhattan

-- Added auxiliary transformer cooling to increase capacity at the following substations:
-- Avenue A, Manhattan
-- Willowbrook, Staten Island
-- Bensonhurst, Brooklyn

-- Added a capacitor bank at the Cedar Street substation in Westchester County
-- Added a cable pumping station at the Rainey substation in Long Island City

In addition to the system-wide improvements, special attention has been given to facilities in the Washington Heights, Cooper Square, Williamsburg and Yonkers areas.

Con Edison is one of the nation's largest utility companies, with approximately $7 billion in annual revenues and approximately $14 billion in assets. The company, a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison Inc., provides electric, gas and steam service to more than three million customers in New York City and Westchester County, New York. For additional financial, operations and customer service information, visit Con Edison's web site at http://www.coned.com.

SOURCE: Con Edison Company of New York Inc.