An explosion and fire in Con Edison’s E. 14th St. electric substation near the East River broke out at 3:30 a.m., Wed., Dec. 8. A short circuit in a high-voltage transmission line damaged a connector in the substation, according to Joe Petta, a Con Edison spokesperson. When the connector exploded, mineral oil used as a transmission line coolant caught fire and sprayed out onto other equipment in the substation, said Petta. There were no power outages but some places experienced momentary power dips that occur when one transmission line goes out of service and others lines pick up, Petta said.
