WASHINGTON, D.C. - Pepco estimates that the vast majority of customers, at least 90 percent, are expected to have power restored by 11 p.m., Friday, July 6. On Wednesday evening, July 4, Pepco will update Estimated Restoration Times (ETR) for those customers who may go into the weekend.

As crews make repairs, Pepco will begin issuing more specific times of restoration.  In addition to the global ETRs, a single customer may receive up to two additional ETRs reflecting progress being made to repair the damage resulting in that customer's outage.  The final ETR is issued after a crew assesses damage associated with a particular customer's location.

Customers are encouraged to periodically check the Pepco outage map at pepco.com or the mobile app regarding updated ETRs.  If you are still without power after your ETR has expired, please call Pepco at 1-877-PEPCO62 and report your outage again or visit pepco.com or report through the mobile app, available for download at pepco.com/mobile app.

"We understand the inconvenience an extended outage creates for families and businesses," said Thomas H. Graham, President, Pepco Region.  "Customers can be assured that we are applying maximum resources to restore customers as quickly as possible. However, the devastation is extensive and while we expect to have the vast majority of customers restored by the end of day Friday, restoration for some customers may extend into the weekend."

At its peak, the violent thunderstorm left approximately 443,000 customers without power.  Both Maryland and the District of Columbia have declared a state of emergency as a result of the severity of the storm and its damaging impact. Local Emergency Management agencies have opened cooling centers; shopping malls are also available for cooling relief.

With power restoration completed to the region's major electricity infrastructure, Pepco is now focusing on restoring power to neighborhoods.  All high-voltage transmission lines, substations, water pumping plants and hospitals are back in service.

The company has mobilized about 1,500 field personnel for the power restoration effort including about 580 power line personnel coming from as far away as Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida and Canada; about 440 tree trimming personnel; 300 overhead line contractors and 95 internal Pepco line crew members.  In addition, at peak, about 225 personnel are answering customer calls and about 445 personnel are supporting the restoration effort in other roles.  In total, about 2,100 personnel have been mobilized for the restoration effort.

The company has activated its Crisis Call center as well as call centers at Alabama Power and Tampa Electric, which are providing back-up support as part of our Mutual Assistance Routing Program (MARS).  Under the MARS agreement, participating call centers agree to take high-volume calls for other participants during emergencies.

Outside crew reinforcements are beginning to arrive today.  Pepco is continuing to request additional crews, including reaching out to utilities in the Northeast and Canada.     

Pepco Encourages Safety Precautions
After severe storms, Pepco urges customers to take safety precautions. Our safety tips include:

• Stay away from downed wires. Call 1-877-737-2662 and follow the prompts to report a downed wire or an outage.
• Avoid crews working in the street. This will keep you and the crews safe, and allow them to work on restoring your power.
• Visit pepco.com for safety tips and follow the advice of your local emergency management officials.
• If you plan to use 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. 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. If you are without power for more than two hours, refrigerated foods should be placed in a cooler. Foods will stay frozen for 36 to 48 hours in a fully loaded freezer if the door remains closed, and a half-full freezer will generally keep frozen food for up to 24 hours.
• Turn off power to flood-prone basement appliances if it is safe to do so. However, if you have an electrically operated sump pump, you should not turn off the power in your basement.
• Tune in to local news broadcasts for the latest weather and emergency information.

Customers Asked to Report Power Outages
Customers' reports are vital to Pepco's restoration efforts.  Customers are asked to report outages at pepco.com or by calling 1-877-737-2662 and following the prompts on the automated system. If reporting an emergency or another life-threatening situation such as downed wires, customers should immediately call 1-877-737-2662 and follow the appropriate prompts.
 
Pepco also recommends, when reporting an outage, customers request a call back. Call backs allow us to notify customers when work in their area is completed and they also help locate outages that may be specific to customers' homes.

To keep up-to-date, customers are encouraged to visit the pepco.com website and listen to local radio stations for updates or use the mobile app.

For more information and updates, visit www.pepco.com, follow us on Facebook and Twitter at PepcoConnect and download our mobile app at www.pepco.com/mobileapp.


Pepco, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM), delivers safe, reliable and affordable electric service to more than 788,000 customers in Maryland and the District of Columbia.