WASHINGTON, D.C. - Pepco continues its non-stop, full-force efforts to restore the 1 percent of customers who remain without power as a result of last Friday's storm. Crew resources have been assigned to restore service to each of the remaining outages in the District of Columbia and Prince George's County.  Those customers are expected to be restored by the end of the day.
           
A number of outages will remain into the weekend in Montgomery County due to heavy localized storm damage that is making repairs much more labor intensive.  Those customers are expected to be back in service no later than 11 p.m., Sunday, July 8. Pepco urges customers to continue reporting outages and requesting call-backs.
            
Crews are concentrating today and this weekend on making repairs to small pockets of customers, including individual outages.  Repairing these remaining customers is especially challenging as the time involved to make repair can be as lengthy as it is when restoring larger numbers of customers.  Also more system damage may be discovered deeper into a neighborhood that requires additional repair work. 
             
"I want to thank our customers for their patience and support during the massive restoration effort.  While we continue to work around-the-clock to restore power to every customer affected by Friday's storm, we urge all customers without power to let us know of their outage," said Thomas H. Graham, President, Pepco. "By responding to call-backs and reporting lingering outages, customers play an integral role in the company's ability to identify persistent, localized outages." 
         
Pepco continues to deploy about 2,900 personnel to complete the restoration effort.

• About 1,900 field restoration personnel including:
  • 800 power line personnel from out of state;
  • 500 tree trimming personnel;
  • 400 overhead line contractors;
  • 145 internal Pepco and Delmarva Power line crew members; and
  • 70 internal underground and substation personnel. 
• In addition, about 230 personnel are mobilized to answer customer calls and about 750 personnel are supporting the restoration effort in other roles.

Pepco cautions that new outages may occur as tree limbs continue to fall and disrupt service and as crews switch main power lines off and on to allow them to work safely.

Extreme heat is forecasted for the Washington metropolitan area throughout the weekend, and new outages that are heat-related may occur. This heat, combined with existing storm-related damage to the electric system and high demand for electricity as customers seek to cool their homes, can stress the electrical system.  Pepco asks customers to continue conserving electricity.

The following tips will help customers reduce their energy use:

• 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.

To learn more, visit www.pepco.com/energy/conservation/.

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 asks customers to request a call-back when reporting an outage. 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.


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.