Significant Progress Made, Work Continues Around the Clock

· Nearly 140,000 customers restored

· All substations restored and energized

· More than 2,400 personnel dedicated to restoration effort

· Working to restore schools

WASHINGTON - Pepco announced that significant progress has been made with power being restored for almost 140,000 customers who lost electricity in the wake of Hurricane Irene's destructive gale-force winds . Hundreds of Pepco and mutual assistance crews continue working around the clock on the restoration effort.

Power has been restored to all substations that suffered damages from the storm, including the Livingston Rd. substation in Prince George's County, where water damage took out two primary power lines.

Winds reaching as high as 65 miles an hour brought down trees and power lines, causing significant damage to Pepco's electric system infrastructure. Crews are finding countless utility poles and wires down across the system.

"We have deployed crews throughout communities in Prince George's and Montgomery counties and the District of Columbia," said Thomas Graham, President, Pepco Region. "The effort has been progressing well, but we will continue with all hands on deck until power is restored to all our customers. Pepco has secured resources from our mutual assistance partners and is working with local emergency management agencies to assure public safety."

A "global" estimated time of restoration (ETR) will be available this morning. While the global ETR indicates when the last customer will have power, most customers will have power back prior to that time.

At its peak, the storm left 220,000 customers without power: 63,000 in Montgomery County, Md., 126,000 in Prince George's County, Md., and 31,000 in the District of Columbia. At present, about 16,000 customers in Montgomery County, 44,000 in Prince George's County, and 21,000 in the District of Columbia remain without power.

The company has dispatched 1,300 line crews, nearly 700 field support personnel, and 440 Call Center personnel. Crews have been working around the clock since the first bands of Hurricane Irene reached the Washington area Saturday morning.

To keep up-to-date, customers are encouraged to visit the Pepco website ( www.pepco.com ) frequently, follow us at www.Twitter.com/PepcoConnect and listen to local radio stations for updates.

Pepco Emphasizes Importance of Safety

Safety is paramount for Pepco's customers and employees. The company urges the public to stay alert, as conditions will remain hazardous. It is critical to stay clear of downed wires and report them by calling 1-877-PEPCO-62 (1-877-737-2662) and following the voice prompts. Other important safety recommendations include:

• If you use life-support equipment that requires electricity to operate and you have lost power, Pepco urges you to seek alternative accommodations at a location with emergency power capabilities as restoration will be a multi-day event.
• If you are using a portable generator, follow the manufacturer's instructions and use only when necessary. Don't overload it and turn it off at night, while you sleep and when you are away from home.
• Locate a portable generator in a well-ventilated area. Never run it inside, even in your garage, to avoid the potential hazard of carbon monoxide poisoning. Do not connect the generator directly into your home's main fuse box or circuit panel.
• Protect food and refrigerated medicine with regular ice in an insulated cooler. Foods will stay frozen for 36 to 48 hours in a fully loaded freezer if the door remains closed.

A full list of safety tips can be found on the Pepco website ( www.pepco.com ).

Customers Asked to Report Power Outages

Customers are asked to report outages at www.pepco.com or by calling 1-877-PEPCO-62 (1-877-737-2662) and following the voice prompts. Customers' reports are vital to Pepco's restoration efforts because they help the company identify the location of outages more quickly. Each household should report an outage; a neighbor's call will not indicate that you are out of power as well.

Pepco also recommends that when reporting an outage customers request a call back, which means that Pepco will notify customers to ensure power has been restored. The call back process helps Pepco during the area-based restoration process to locate outages that may be specific to customers' homes, such as an issue with the service wire to an individual house.

To keep up to date, customers are encouraged to visit www.pepco.com and frequently listen to local radio stations for updates.

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Pepco, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM), delivers safe, reliable and affordable electric service to more than 778,000 customers in Maryland and the District of Columbia.