Series 1996 A Debentures



                      UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT



                                                April 24, 1996

To the Representative Named
on the Signature Page Hereof:

Dear Sirs:

          Subject to the terms and conditions stated or
incorporated by reference herein, Consolidated Edison Company of
New York, Inc. (the "Company") hereby agrees to sell to the
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") and
the Underwriters hereby agree to purchase, severally and not
jointly, the principal amount set forth opposite their names in
Schedule I hereto of the securities specified in Schedule II
hereto (the "Designated Securities").

          The representative named on the signature page hereof
(the "Representative") represents that the Underwriters have
authorized the Representative to enter into this Underwriting
Agreement and to act hereunder on their behalf.

          Except as otherwise provided in Schedule II hereto each
of the provisions of the Company's Underwriting Agreement Basic
Provisions, dated April 16, 1992, as filed as Exhibit 1(b) to
Registration Statement No. 33-47261 (the "Basic Provisions"), is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be
deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same extent as if
such provisions had been set forth in full herein.  Unless
otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Basic Provisions
are used herein as therein defined.

          Payment for the Designated Securities will be made
against delivery thereof to the Representative for the accounts
of the respective Underwriters at the time and place and at the
purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule II
hereto.








                              - 2 -


          If the foregoing is in accordance with your
understanding, please sign and return to us counterparts hereof,
and upon acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the
Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof, including
the Basic Provisions incorporated herein by reference, shall
constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters
and the Company.

                                 Very truly yours,

                                 CONSOLIDATED EDISON COMPANY
                                   OF NEW YORK, INC.   


                                 By: GULI R. RAJANI
                                     Guli R. Rajani
                                     Vice President and Treasurer



Confirmed and Accepted as of the date hereof on behalf of itself
and each other Underwriter, if any:



LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.


By:  Danny L. Lee
     Attorney-in-Fact



                             SCHEDULE I




                                         Principal Amount of
                                        Designated Securities
         Underwriter                        to be Purchased      




        Lehman Brothers Inc.  . . . . . . . $100,000,000

              Total. . . . . . . . . . . .  $100,000,000



                           SCHEDULE II


Title of Designated Securities:  

     7 3/4% Debentures, Series 1996 A


Aggregate principal amount:  

     $100,000,000.


Price to Public: 

     Initially 98.002% of the principal amount of the Designated
     Securities, plus accrued interest, if any, from May 1,
     1996 to the date of delivery, thereafter at market prices
     prevailing at the time of sale or at negotiated prices.


Purchase Price by Underwriters:  

     97.611% of the principal amount of the Designated
     Securities, plus accrued interest, if any, from
     May 1, 1996 to the date of delivery.


Specified funds for, and manner of, payment of purchase price:  

     Certified or bank cashier's check or checks payable in New
     York Clearing House funds to the order of "Consolidated
     Edison Company of New York, Inc."


Indenture:  

     Indenture, dated as of December 1, 1990, between the Company
     and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association), as
     Trustee, as amended and supplemented by the First
     Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 6, 1996, between
     the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National
     Association), as Trustee.


Maturity:  

     June 1, 2026.

Interest Rate:  

     7 3/4% per annum from May 1, 1996.


                              - 2 -


Interest Payment Dates:  

     Payable December 1, 1996 and thereafter semi-annually on
     June 1 and December 1.


Redemption Provisions:  

     As set forth in the prospectus supplement, dated April 24,
     1996, for the Designated Securities (the "Prospectus
     Supplement") to the prospectus, dated December 8, 1995
     (the "Prospectus"), filed with the Securities and Exchange
     Commission (the "SEC") pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2) under the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as part of the
     Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-64657;
     declared effective by the SEC on December 8, 1995).

Sinking Fund Provisions:  

     None.


Time of Delivery:  

     10:00 a.m., on May 1, 1996.


Closing Location:  

     Room 1810-S at the Company, 4 Irving Place, New York, NY
     10003.



                              - 3 -


Information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriters for use
in the Prospectus for the Designated Securities:  

     1.   The paragraph regarding stabilization on page 2 of the
          Prospectus.

     2.   The final paragraph of the front cover of the
          Prospectus Supplement.

     3.   The second and third paragraphs of the section entitled
          "Underwriting" on page S-5 of the Prospectus
           Supplement.

Address of Representative:  

Lehman Brothers Inc.
3 World Financial Center
New York, New York 10285
Attention: James C. Penrose

Captions in the Prospectus referred to in Section 6(c)(xi) of the
Basic Provisions:  

     Description of Securities
     Description of Debentures


Modifications of Basic Provisions:  

     1.   Delete Section 3 of the Basic Provisions in its
          entirety and substitute the following:

          "One or more Global Securities (as defined in the
          Indenture specified in the Underwriting agreement) for
          the Designated Securities in the aggregate principal
          amount of the Designated Securities shall be registered
          in the name of Cede & Co. and delivered to The
          Depository Trust Company with instructions to credit
          the Designated Securities to the account of, or as
          otherwise instructed by, the Representative against
          payment by the Representative of the purchase price
          therefor in the amount, the funds and manner specified
          in the Underwriting Agreement, at the place, time and
          date specified in the Underwriting Agreement or at such
          other place, time and date as the Representative and
          the Company may agree in writing, said time and date
          being herein referred to as the "Time of Delivery" for
          said Designated Securities.


                        - 4 -

     2.   Delete Section 6(c)(ii) of the Basic Provisions in its
          entirety and substitute the following:

          "(ii)  The Company has authorized equity capitalization
          as set forth, or incorporated by reference, in the
          Prospectus;"

     3.   In Sections 1(g) and 6(c)(iii) of the Basic Provisions,
          insert "law or" immediately before the phrase
          "principles of public policy."   
 
     4.   In Section 7(a) of the Basic Provisions, insert
          "promptly as such expenses are incurred" immediately
          before the phrase "; provided, however,".

     5.   In Section 7(e) of the Basic Provisions, add at the
          end: "The foregoing provisions regarding contribution
          shall apply except as otherwise required by applicable
          law."

     6.   Add as new Section 1(n) of the Basic Provisions:

          "The Company's unaudited consolidated balance sheet as
          of March 31, 1996 and unaudited consolidated income for
          the twelve months ended March 31, 1996 are the latest
          available and the Company does not have sufficient
          information to make a determination that, for the
          twelve month period ended April 26, 1996, there was any
          decrease, as compared with the corresponding prior
          period, in operating revenues less fuel, purchased
          power and gas purchased for resale."

     7.   Delete clause (iii)(D) of Annex I of the Basic
          Provisions.


Other:

     None.