Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday asked New Yorkers to use Mamdani 78 Degrees by setting their AC to 78 degrees while the city faced a multi-day heat wave. He said the goal was to ease pressure on the power grid as temperatures stayed high through the holiday weekend.
Zohran Mamdani on X
Mamdani wrote on X, "New York: it's hot out there, and the power grid is working overtime to keep us cool." He added, "Set your AC to 78 degrees, turn off lights/electronics you're not using, and unplug what you can."
He also said, "Our City is doing its part too: maintaining the 78 degrees rule in our buildings, dimming/turning off our lights during peak electricity demand, asking private partners to do the same, and powering down non-essential equipment," and, "A stable grid means the AC stays on, and lives are saved. Let's ease demand — and get through the heat — together." For residents, the request was not just a message about comfort; it was a call to cut electricity use at the same time the grid was under strain.
Department of Energy Guidance
Recent guidance from the Department of Energy suggests starting air conditioning at 75 to 78 degrees and increasing that number if no one is home. That puts Mamdani’s 78-degree request inside an existing conservation range, even as he tied it to the immediate pressure of extreme heat in New York.
The complication came after the post. Vivek Ramaswamy wrote, "This is what socialism looks like, folks. The right answer isn’t restrictions or mandates. It’s drilling, fracking, coal, & nuclear," and, "That’s how we’ll roll in Ohio." Nikki Haley posted, "Welcome to socialism," Ted Cruz wrote, "In a first-world country, you could turn on the A/C," and Dave Portnoy said, "78 degrees??? Welcome to communism people! Hope you enjoy!"
Mamdani’s message left New Yorkers with a simple instruction: set the AC to 78 degrees, reduce unnecessary electricity use, and expect city buildings to do the same. How much strain the power grid was actually under when he made the request was not explained.
