By Michael Kuser

Consolidated Edison earned $188 million ($0.60/share) in the second quarter, a 7% increase from $175 million ($0.57/share) in the same period last year.

The company reported about $2.7 billion in revenue for the quarter, a 2% increase over last year.

Adjusted earnings, which exclude the effects of a gain on the sale of a solar electric production project in 2017 and the net mark-to-market effects of Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses, were $189 million ($0.61/share) compared with $178 million ($0.58/share) in 2017.

Following a proceeding investigating a New York City subway power outage (Case 17-E-0428), the state Public Service Commission last year required Con Ed’s primary utility subsidiary, Consolidated Edison Company of New York (CECONY), to upgrade electrical equipment that serves the system. Costs related to that matter totaled $180 million, including $30 million in capital and operating and maintenance costs reflected in the company’s electric rate plan and $150 million deferred as a regulatory asset.

Through June 30, CECONY’s costs related to March 2018 storms amounted to $126 million, while fellow subsidiaries Orange and Rockland Utilities (O&R) and Rockland Electric Co. had storm-related costs of $48 million and $18 million, respectively. Recovery of those costs is subject to review by the PSC and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Con Ed and CECONY are unable to estimate the amount or range of their possible loss in connection with the storms, they said.

In May 2018, PSC staff recommended a $10.6 million increase in O&R’s electric rates and a $6.7 million decrease in O&R’s gas rates, both reflecting an 8.6% return on equity. In June 2018, O&R filed an update to its requested rate increases, changing its request to a $30.4 million increase for electric and a $0.5 million decrease for gas, seeking a 9.75% ROE.

Con Ed reported its Clean Energy Businesses having 1,383 MW of renewable energy production projects in service and 218 MW under construction.