Overview
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted a public appeal on Wednesday asking New Yorkers to set air conditioners to 78°F and to turn off or unplug nonessential lights and devices to ease strain on the electrical grid.
- The appeal has stayed in effect as the city expanded emergency measures such as dozens of cooling centers, mobile medical cooling vans, and temporary eviction pauses to protect people during near‑record daytime heat.
- Utilities and officials warned heavy AC use during late‑afternoon and evening peak hours could risk outages, and the 78°F recommendation matches U.S. Department of Energy advice on summer thermostat settings.
- Conservative commentators and Republican politicians responded with sustained ridicule and framed the request as ideological, while some residents and advocates raised safety concerns for low‑income seniors who already limit cooling to save money.
- Coverage varies by outlet with right‑leaning outlets emphasizing political attack lines and left‑ and center‑leaning outlets stressing that the measure follows past mayoral guidance and grid‑reliability advice, a divide that could shape public reaction and future energy messaging.