A partial power outage in New York City, where some rooms or outlets are dead while others work, usually comes from a tripped breaker or GFCI, a failed connection on one circuit, one leg of the service lost at the meter or panel, or a lost neutral. If lights are unusually bright or dim, turn off sensitive electronics and call, because a lost neutral can damage appliances.
Signs a partial outage is urgent
Lights brighter than normal
A possible lost neutral.
Appliances failing or smelling hot
Voltage may be swinging.
Dryer or range dead, lights on
One leg of the service is out.
Water in the panel or basement
Don't touch the equipment.
Buzzing at the meter or panel
A failing connection.
Breaker won't reset
A fault on the circuit.
Burning smell anywhere
Switch off the main if safe and call.
Updated September 2026
When some of the power is out, the first question is whose problem it is. If the neighbors are also affected, it's likely Con Edison or the building. If it's only your unit, the cause is usually in your panel or on one of your circuits.
We check the obvious first, then measure at the panel. That tells us within minutes whether the fix is a breaker, a connection, the building's riser or a call to the utility.
Half the home without power
Losing about half the circuits at once usually means one leg of the 240-volt service has dropped, either at the utility connection, the meter, the main breaker or a feeder in the building. The panel still gets power on one bus, so exactly the circuits on the other bus go dead, along with 240-volt appliances like dryers and ranges. We measure both legs at the main, work back toward the meter, and either repair the failed connection or bring in Con Edison when the fault is on their equipment.
$100 to $200 per hour standard; $200 to $400 per hour emergency or after hours; service call minimum $150 to $300. Source: aecontractorsnyc.com, 2026-09. Published market range for budgeting only, not our quote.
Lost neutral and voltage swings
A lost or loose neutral is the partial outage that damages things. Instead of going dead, lights on one side of the panel burn unusually bright while the other side dims, and electronics can fail. If you see that, switch off computers, televisions and anything sensitive, and call. We find the failed neutral connection, whether at the panel, the meter or in the building's riser, repair it, and check the appliances that were on during the event for damage. Damaged devices are listed so you can file an insurance claim if needed.
Dead outlets on one side of a room
When a string of outlets goes dead while the lights stay on, the cause is usually a tripped GFCI somewhere upstream, often in a bathroom, kitchen or basement, or a loose connection at the last working outlet on the run. We check for tripped GFCIs first, since they commonly protect outlets in other rooms, then open the boxes along the run to find the failed backstab or splice. The circuit is repaired so the connection doesn't fail again a week later.
Power problems after a storm
Storms bring down lines, flood basements and knock service masts loose. After a storm, partial power can come from damage on Con Edison's side, water in a basement panel or junction box, or a service drop pulled partly off the house. We check for water and damage before restoring anything, replace components that were submerged, and coordinate with Con Edison when their service or meter needs repair. Power isn't restored to wet equipment until it has been made safe. You get a written note of what was replaced and why.
What happens after you call
- 1
Quick triage on the call
Neighbors affected, what's dead, anything bright or dim.
- 2
Safety first
Sensitive loads off; wet equipment not re-energized.
- 3
Measure at the main
Both legs and the neutral checked.
- 4
Repair or escalate
Connection fixed, or Con Edison called for their side.
- 5
Restore and verify
Every circuit tested before we leave.
What we see in New York buildings
Part of finding a partial outage is knowing what changed on the street. Con Edison invested $3.9 billion for summer 2026, including cable upgrades and load shifting in Harlem, Roosevelt Island, the East Village and Kips Bay, four new feeder cables into Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant, and a 200 MW line into Long Island City. Utility work can leave a loose connection on the customer side too.
What moves the price
- Emergency or after-hours timing
- Breaker, GFCI or connection repair
- Failed main, meter or feeder connection
- Lost neutral repair and appliance checks
- Water-damaged components to replace
- Con Edison coordination
- Access to the meter room or riser in a building
$100 to $200 per hour standard; $200 to $400 per hour emergency or after hours; service call minimum $150 to $300. Source: aecontractorsnyc.com, 2026-09. Published market range for budgeting only, not our quote.
Questions about partial power outage repair in New York
If the neighbors are out too, or the meter shows no power, it's likely the utility.
Possibly a lost neutral. Turn off sensitive electronics and call.
One leg of the service has likely dropped at the main, meter or feeder.
Once, after unplugging loads. Don't keep resetting.
Not until wet equipment is checked and replaced if needed.
Yes. The line is answered 24/7.