The fire, in the substation at 244th Street and Northern Boulevard, sent a large plume of smoke that could be seen for miles.
Eyewitness News is told no injuries were reported and no homes were immediately threatened by the flames.
Although no outages were reported, Con Edison says local feeders would have to be deenergized to put the fire.
Some 700 customers will reportedly lose power until at least noon during the deenergization process.
The 4,000 kilovolt substation caught just before 8 a.m. this morning.
The cause is under investigation.
Northern Boulevard was closed through the area for firefighters.
Local Q12 buses were also detoured in the area of Northern Boulevard and Douglaston Parkway
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