Pepco Works to Restore Power

For Immediate Release
July 23, 2005

(Washington, D.C. - 6:00 p.m.) Pepco crews will work around the clock to restore power to customers affected by a severe early morning thunderstorm. Pepco is experiencing intense localized storm damage which runs in a line from southern Montgomery County, through the District of Columbia, along the Georgia Avenue corridor, into Prince George's County. At peak, nearly 55,000 customers were without power.

Pepco is working to restore power to customers as quickly as possible. Pepco expects the majority of customers to have their power restored by early Sunday afternoon. Based on the current damage assessment, all power is expected to be restored by Monday afternoon.

To report outages and receive updated information, customers are asked to call 1-877-PEPCO-62.

Until power is restored, here are tips to keep you safe, protect your food, home and belongings:
Safety

Pepco strongly encourages customers to make safety a priority. Stay away from downed power lines. All downed lines should be treated as if they are energized, and individuals should not approach them or touch them. If you see a downed wire call Pepco at 202-872-3432.
Keep away from flooded areas and stay indoors. If you experience a power outage, check for electrical damage inside your home, such as frayed wires, sparks or the smell of burning insulation. If you find damage, don't turn your power on until an electrician inspects your system and makes necessary repairs. Remember, electricity and water is a dangerous combination. Even wading in a shallow puddle or flooded basement that is exposed to an energized line could lead to harmful electrical contact.

Protecting Your Food

Keep freezer and refrigerator doors closed; open them only when absolutely necessary. Food will stay frozen for 36 - 48 hours in a fully loaded freezer if you keep the door closed.
A half-full freezer will generally keep food frozen for 24 hours.

Protecting Your Home and Belongings

Turn off all appliances, including your furnace, air conditioner, water heater and water pump. That way, you can avoid a circuit overload and another outage that may result when power is restored to all appliances at once.
Leave on one lamp so you`ll know that the power has been restored.

It is Important to be Prepared
As part of our storm preparedness information, we encourage customers to always keep these items on hand:

Flashlights and fresh batteries
Battery-powered radio
Battery-powered or wind-up alarm clock
A supply of bottled water (1 gallon per person per day)
Non-perishable foods that require no heating
Blankets, bedding, or sleeping bags
First Aid Kit & medications
Hand-operated can opener
Special items for infants, the elderly or family members with special needs
Hand tools such as a screwdriver; scissors; duct tape; plastic; paper; waterproof matches; household bleach
Identification and copies of important family documents
Emergency Services and Pepco telephone numbers

It is recommended that these items be stored ahead of time in an "Emergency Go Kit" in order to save valuable time and to be prepared in the event of a wide variety of potential emergencies.

For more safety and emergency preparedness tips, log onto the Pepco Storm Center

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Pepco, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM), delivers safe, reliable and affordable electric service to more than 725,000 customers in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Point of Contact:
Debbi Jarvis