Reader report: Tracking the source of 'a mid-range whining or humming noise' on 8th Street (and beyond)

[Random ConEd plant photo]

A 30-plus year resident of East Eighth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C shares the following...

Beginning approximately this summer, I noticed a noise that is very irritating and sometimes wakes me up. If I am awake when the noise is occurring, I cannot get to sleep.

The noise is difficult to describe but I will attempt: It is a mid-range whining or humming noise. It permeates everything and sounds industrial. It sounds as if someone is blowing in an empty soda bottle and then amplified 100,0000 times. Each occurrence of the noise lasts anywhere from approximately 3-10 minutes and continues on an intermittent basis (sometimes several times an hour), day and night, seven days a week.

When I open my window to get a read on where the noise is coming from, it is always from the direction of the ConEd plant. I believe that this is where this noise comes from. Over the years the ConEd plant has been the cause of many, many irritating, disturbing and dangerous noises and explosions that have plagued the neighborhood.

The noise is very disturbing. I am sure it can be heard for more than a six-block radius surrounding ConEd (if indeed it is the source).

Anyone else have similar experiences with the noise the reader describes?

Previously on EV Grieve:
East Village residents ask: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT NOISE LAST NIGHT?

About that really loud noise around 14th Street and Avenue B last night

Con Ed apologizes for the 'inconvenience' of waking you up at 4:30 a.m.

The breaker pop heard 'round the neighborhood

Con Ed making strides so that the East 13th Street substation doesn't explode again

[14th and C last Nov. 4 via faces]

On Monday, Con Ed officials unveiled the repaired substation on East 13th Street nearly a year after Hurricane Sandy.

As you'll painfully recall, the storm surge caused a relay station inside the substation off of Avenue C to explode, leaving the lower half of Manhattan eating peanut butter, drinking warm beer and [______] in bags, among many other things worse than that.

Con Ed issued this video to show their improvements to its systems as part of a $1 billion plan to fortify critical infrastructure from major storms. Per Con Ed officials: Overhead equipment is now tougher and more resilient. Substations have new walls and raised equipment. Gas and steam infrastructure also is protected with water-proofing measures.

And here's WABC with a report... Last November, Fortune published an inside look at the Con Ed's Sandy experience. Find that here.

From ConEd to the Moon

Over at the ConEd plant on Avenue C ... Photo this evening via Shawn Chittle.

East 14th Street from the East River

Via EVG reader Mike...

On such a gloomy winter's spring day

Took this at East 10th Street and Avenue D yesterday ... Posted it on Facebook... thought I'd put it here too...

East 10th Street, 9:37 a.m., Jan. 16

[Updated] Transformer fire at the ConEd Plant

Several readers have said they see black smoke from somewhere in the East Village ... another reader says there is a huge FDNY presence at the ConEd plant on East 14th Street.

Anyone?

EV Grieve reader Crazy Eddie just sent us some photos...

[Updated]

DNAinfo is on the scene. Per their report:

A transformer fire broke out at a Con Edison substation in the East Village Wednesday afternoon, FDNY and utility officials said.

The fire broke out at the power station on East 14th Street and Avenue D at roughly 2:19 p.m., the FDNY said.

No injuries were immediately reported, fire officials said.

Con Ed workers were also responding to the blaze, a spokesman said.

While no power outages had been reported, some customers may have noticed their lights flicker, reflecting a dip in voltage, according to a Con Ed spokesman.

Anyone's power out?

In the new New York even the smokestacks have to be pretty

For some reason I've always liked those four smokestacks at the ConEd plant at 14th Street and the East River...I like the industrial look, I suppose...



In recent weeks, though, I've noticed that the stacks are getting a new coat of paint...

Car plows into ConEd gates on Avenue D

Just after 5 this evening, a car crashed into the ConEd fence at the dead end of Avenue D at 12th Street.




There were several accounts of what happened. One tipster noted that the car had been driving north on Avenue D with its hazards on before crashing into the fence. On the scene, one witness thought the car had clipped a van before coming to a halt at the fence. Yet someone else thought the driver simply made a mistake and kept going straight at the dead end.



In any event, nothing really sinister afoot here. The woman driving the car was in a great deal of discomfort. She was simply visiting her mother who lives nearby.