WASHINGTON, D.C. - Pepco continues to make preparations for the 2013 peak hurricane season, which began in mid-August and is expected to last through late October. Even though summer is almost over, Pepco wants to remind customers to prepare for the possibility of destructive tropical weather that could hit our region any time between now and the official end date of the Atlantic hurricane season Nov. 30.

Despite a mild summer, the National Weather Service predicts the remaining hurricane season to be above-normal with an increased chance of a major hurricane hitting the U.S. coastline. An updated seasonal outlook, which includes tropical storms Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian, Erin, Fernand, and Gabrielle, projects a 70 percent chance of 13 to 19 named storms (winds of 39 miles per hour or higher), of which six to nine could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including three to five major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher). These ranges are above the 30-year seasonal averages.

Pepco will continue to closely monitor these updates throughout the hurricane season and maintain our overall storm readiness which includes:

• More than 150 permanent line personnel
• More than 450 contract line personnel already here working on our system and ready to respond to emergencies
• Since 2010, about 6,410 miles of trees have been trimmed , upgraded 195 feeders, renewed or replaced 849 miles of lines underground, completed 99 advanced control projects and completed 76 system growth projects to enhance the reliability of the electric system
• Upgraded website and mobile applications to receive customer outage reports and provide the latest restoration information in real-time

In the event of a storm, customers should follow the advice of their local emergency management officials. Pepco works in close coordination with emergency management offices in all of our regions.

"As we enter the peak hurricane season, our top priority is the safety of our workers and our customers," said Donna M. Cooper, president, Pepco Region. "We know that preparation can aid in protecting our families and community. Given this, we strongly encourage customers to always be ready for an emergency."

Some tips for Pepco customers to prepare:

• Assemble an emergency storm kit, including:
  • Battery-powered radio or television
  • Flashlight
  • First-aid kit
  • Battery-powered or windup clock
  • Extra batteries
  • Special needs items, such as an insulated cooler
  • List of important and emergency phone numbers
• Take cover if necessary. Stay away from downed wires. Call 1-877-PEPCO-62 (1-877-737-2662), and follow the prompts to report a downed wire.
• For people using life-support equipment that requires electricity to operate, please identify a location with emergency power capabilities and make plans to go there.
• If using a personal generator, please take all recommended precautions.
• Keep at least a three-day supply per person of non-perishable foods and bottled water, as well as a hand-operated can opener.
• Have a telephone with a cord or a cell phone to use as a backup. Cordless telephones require electricity to operate and won't work if there is an outage.
• Protect electronic equipment. Unplug sensitive electronics or plug computers and other sensitive equipment into surge suppressors and consider an uninterruptible power supply for temporary battery backup power.
• Turn off power to flood-prone basement appliances if it is safe to do so. However, if using an electrically operated sump pump, the customer should not turn off the power.
• Have adequate prescription medicines or infant supplies on hand.
• Follow local news broadcasts for the latest weather and emergency information.
• Customers can find additional information by visiting www.pepco.com , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pepcoconnect , and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pepcoconnect . Our mobile app is available at www.pepco.com/mobileapp .

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Pepco, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM), delivers safe, reliable and affordable electric service to more than 793,000 customers in Maryland and the District of Columbia.