An Emergency Electric Power Message From Pepco

For Immediate Release
May 9, 2000

Pepco strongly urges customers to substantially reduce their use of electricity for today:

Be as conservation-minded as you can be, turning off all unnecessary appliances and resetting your thermostats higher than normal.
Check backup facilities for electrically-powered medical equipment and
battery-operated radios and flashlights, should they be needed.

The PJM Power Pool companies and Pepco make this urgent request due to the region`s unseasonably early hot spell and to ensure a reliable supply of power for all customers. A number of generating units in the Power Pool are undergoing scheduled maintenance as is normal at this time and prior to the summer air conditioning season. They are scheduled to be in service later this month.

There are energy shortages throughout the east coast. The PJM Power Pool is taking all necessary steps by requesting that the 22 million consumers in the mid-Atlantic region cut back energy use to prevent the imposition of interrupted service.
This is a very serious situation.

At 12:30 p.m. today Pepco will activate its Kilowatchers programs and similar programs for some of its commercial customers.

Point of Contact:
Makini Street