Con Ed Powerhouses
With billions of dollars in revenues and assets, New York’s Consolidated Edison Incorporated, also known as Con Edison or ConEd, is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the United States. The history of ConEd dates back to 1823, when the company started as the New York Gas Light Company to provide energy-related products and services. Sixty years later, six gas companies merged to become Consolidated Gas.
In the early 1880s, Thomas Edison began the Edison Electric Illuminating Company to supply electricity to some 60 customers in Lower Manhattan. Though the company was soon joined by many other electrical suppliers, it became the leader by 1920 and joined Consolidated Gas. When electric sales began to trump gas sales in the 1930s, the company incorporated and changed its name to Consolidated Edison.
During the years that followed, ConEd acquired, merged with, and divested numerous other companies. Today, the company notes that its history involves more than 170 separate electric, gas and steam companies.
Con Edison and Asbestos
Con Edison’s powerhouses have served New York City and its suburbs for decades. Tens of thousands of residents have worked for the corporation, and many have fallen ill because of the job environment. Employees have been exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), coal tar and asbestos in ConEd facilities and equipment.
Asbestos was used extensively in Con Edison powerhouses to wrap steam pipes and to insulate wires, boilers, generators, reactors and other equipment. The material often became damaged as it aged, which caused serious health risks since damaged asbestos can release toxic fibers into the air. These fibers can then be inhaled and lodged in the lungs, where they can cause mesothelioma and other cancers.
Con Edison and Asbestos Litigation
Medical professionals have long known that asbestos is toxic; by the 1930s, medical journals had profiled cases of asbestos workers who developed cancer. Yet when these hazards were made known to power plant owners, nothing changed. Hence, when the toxicity of asbestos became known to the general public in the late 1970s, many employers were held responsible for unnecessarily exposing workers to asbestos. As a result, sick employees began filing lawsuits.
ConEd had paid $273 million in asbestos liabilities by the end of 2001. The company estimated its asbestos liability by 2050 would cost between $37.7 million and $162.1 million.
Resources for Power Plant Workers
If you worked for Consolidated Edison during the era of asbestos use, you may have been exposed to asbestos on the job. Anyone who may have inhaled asbestos should schedule annual exams that include a chest x-ray. This is recommended to test for the presence of asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma and asbestosis. Mesothelioma is best treated if diagnosed early.
If you need help finding a mesothelioma testing center near you, complete the form on this page or call a Patient Advocate at (800) 615-2270 for assistance. If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, ask about our Doctor Match Program that can help you find a mesothelioma doctor in your area.
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© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Thursday, February 9th, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Sponsored by a law firm concentrating in asbestos litigation, The Peterson Firm, LLP with offices at 1350 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036.
