Press Release

NEW YORK, Jan. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (Con Edison) said today that Thursday (January 15) set a record for one-day winter electricity use of 177,528 megawatt hours, shattering the previous weekday winter record set last year. On Wednesday, the utility, which serves 9 million people in New York City and Westchester County, saw a usage of 172,985 megawatt hours, the third highest ever winter's day consumption.

Cold weather peak load records also were set this week. On Thursday, a new winter record of 8,760 megawatts was set, topping Wednesday's peak demand of 8,611 megawatts. The company also set a winter weekend consumption record on January 10 and 11, when 318,528 megawatt hours were used. That broke the previous record of 300,328 megawatt hours set February 15 and 16, 2003.

The company said that the new records are weather-related, as New Yorkers turn up their thermostats and use electric heaters to warm their homes and businesses. Customers may contact Con Edison at 1-800-75-CONED or visit the company's Web site at www.coned.com to find cold weather tips.

Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE: ED), one of the nation's largest investor-owned energy companies, with $9 billion in annual revenues and $20 billion in assets. The utility provides electric, gas and steam service to more than 3 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, New York.

SOURCE Con Edison -0- 01/16/2004 /CONTACT: Chris Olert of Con Edison, +1-212-460-4111/ /Web site: http://www.coned.com / (ED) CO: Con Edison; Consolidated Edison, Inc. ST: New York