WASHINGTON, D.C. - Pepco expects to restore power overnight to all remaining customer outages in Prince George's County that resulted from the derecho that hit the Washington Metropolitan area last Friday. Prince George's County accounted for a total of more than 141,000 outages of the more than 443,000 outages caused by the storm.

Outages in the District of Columbia that resulted from last Friday's storm are expected to be fully restored tomorrow, and work continues to restore customers in Montgomery County who lost power during the storm. A number of those outages will remain into the weekend due to heavy localized storm damage that makes repairs very labor intensive. All customers impacted by the derecho are expected to be back in service by 11 p.m., Sunday, July 8. Pepco urges customers to continue reporting outages and requesting call-backs.           
            
Extreme heat continues to hit the Washington Metropolitan area, and the National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning effective from 11 a.m. Saturday to 10 p.m. Saturday. The National Weather Service reports that the temperature in the D.C. area could reach a high of around 103 degrees tomorrow. This record heat, damage to the electric system from the recent storm and high demand for electricity, as customers seek to cool their homes, are stressing the capabilities of the electric system.  In response, Pepco is asking customers to conserve electricity.  

Tips for Conserving Energy
Pepco recommends the tips below for conserving energy.  To learn more, visit www.pepco.com/energy/conservation/.

• During hot weather, a central air conditioner can account for 30 percent of a customer's energy bill. Pepco suggests checking the air filter regularly - a clean air filter improves system efficiency, which should lead to energy savings.
•  Set your thermostat at 78 degrees Fahrenheit, a reasonably comfortable and energy-efficient indoor temperature.
• Have a professional check your air conditioning system to ensure that it works properly and is not leaking coolant.
• Be sure all windows are shut and outside doors are closed when the air conditioning is on.
• It is important not to have lamps, televisions or other heat sources close to the air conditioner thermostat.  Heat from these sources may cause the air conditioner unit to run longer than it should.
• Check to ensure that no furniture or other obstacles are blocking ducts or fans. This will enable cooled air to circulate freely, making your home more comfortable.

Customers Asked to Report Power Outages
Pepco urges customers who are still without power to report their outage at pepco.com, through the mobile app 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, a customer should immediately call 1-877-737-2662 and follow the appropriate prompts.  Customers' reports are vital to Pepco's restoration efforts because, combined with other customer calls and the company's technology, it helps precisely identify the remaining locations without power and speeds restoration.

Pepco also recommends, when reporting an outage, customers request a call-back. Call-backs allow Pepco to notify customers when work in their area is completed. However, although area work has been completed, not every customer may have been restored, if further damage is located on equipment directly serving a customer's home.  The call-backs help the utility to locate outages that are specific to customers' homes and still need to be addressed.

To keep up to date on their individual restoration estimates, customers are encouraged to call 877-PEPCO62, visit www.pepco.com, and download our mobile app at www.pepco.com/mobileapp. They also may follow us on Facebook and Twitter at PepcoConnect.

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