Brooklyn, Queens residents deal with power outages in the bitter cold

BUSHWICK, Brooklyn (WABC) -- For the second week in a row, households in parts of Brooklyn are experiencing power outages -- some of which are caused by the snow and salt mixing and seeping into underground equipment.

Around 700 customers -- those are individual accounts for homes or buildings, not residents -- between Brooklyn and Queens are without power, some since Saturday.

Con Edison crews are working around the clock to get service restored as a bitter blast hits our region.

For those customers impacted, they hope Con Ed crews can get things powered up sooner, rather than later.

"I've been cold all night long, I kept seeing things flicker," said Bushwick resident Vernice Biggs.

It's been an ongoing issue since the winter storm slammed the Tri-State, leaving snow in every corner.

Service disruptions in Park Slope and Boerum Hill just last week left hundreds in limbo, some having to leave their homes and book a night at a hotel.

"Right now, we have heat cause I operate on gas, but we still need electric to ignite things. When the boiler shuts down, once it reaches its cycle, I don't know what's going to happen after that," said Robert Adams, a Bushwick resident.

Con Ed says all the salt on streets is mixing with snow, melting, and interfering with the electric system, and wires are taking a hit.

"It's horrible, they charge us a fortune to pay our bills -- $1,000 light bill, my mom got a $1,500 light bill, it's unacceptable," Con Ed customer Sonia Biggs said.

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