​Washington, D.C. (June 21, 2019) – With today being the official start of summer, Pepco has been hard at work, prepping its systems and testing its processes and procedures, all part of the company's efforts to provide safe and reliable service for its 883,000 electric customers this summer.

"We are committed to providing safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy service for our customers, no matter what conditions we confront, and we prepare for severe, damaging weather all year long," said Donna Cooper, Pepco region president. "Critical to our efforts is our use of advanced grid and metering technologies, and enhanced communication tools that help us restore service faster and provide more detailed information to our valued customers than previously before when damaging storms occur."

Pepco's work to prepare for the summer is part of the company's ongoing efforts to maintain and modernize the local energy grid. In fact, just last year Pepco customers experienced the fastest restoration times ever, as well as some of the lowest frequency of electric outages, on average, in the company's history. Ongoing enhancements to the local energy grid have driven a 30 percent decrease in the frequency of electric outages Pepco customers have experienced during the past five years.

Pepco is making strategic investments across its system to enhance reliability and make the local energy grid more resilient against the threats of extreme weather and powerful storms.  This includes a first-of-its-kind $65,000 grant and pilot resiliency project with Jubilee Housing, a community based nonprofit housing developer, to fund an emergency battery storage system at their Maycroft affordable housing property in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

Pepco also completes hundreds of tasks to prepare for the summer season, including system work, testing and drills. Pepco employees across the region also are ready to respond to severe summer storms or emergencies, if needed. As part of the Exelon family of companies, Pepco can call on resources from sister companies in the Delaware, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Illinois to restore power faster after major storms

As Pepco prepares for summer, customers should prepare too. Before severe weather hits, customers should:

• Assemble an emergency storm kit. Include battery-powered radio or TV, flashlight, a first-aid kit, battery-powered or windup clock, extra batteries, special needs items, medications, a multi-purpose tool, cell phones with chargers, and a list of important and emergency phone numbers.
• Have a supply of bottled water and easy-to-prepare, non-perishable foods available.
• Keep a flashlight with fresh batteries on each floor of your home.
• Identify an alternate location for you and/or your family in case of an extended outage.
• Review the manufacturer's instructions for safe operations of your generator. Do not connect a generator directly to your home's wiring. Never use a generator indoors or any enclosed area.
• Download Pepco's app at pepco.com/mobileapp to keep informed during a storm.
  

If severe storms hit, Pepco has many online resources to keep customers informed. The company's interactive outage map, available at pepco.com, and its mobile app provide customers information about outages across the company's system and give an estimate of how quickly power is expected to be restored.  Being prepared is a responsibility everyone should take seriously. If a severe storm hits, monitor local weather reports regularly and follow the advice of local emergency management officials. Immediately report a downed wire or service issue by calling 1-877-PEPCO-62 (877-737-2662) , visiting pepco.com, or through the company's mobile app.

More tips, resources and safety information are available at pepco.com/storm. 

Higher temperatures can lead to higher energy bills, and Pepco provides a variety of programs to help every customer save money and energy. Customers can learn more about these programs at pepco.com/waystosave.

In addition, customers can save energy and lower their bills this summer by following a few simple tips:

• Turn it off: Turn off all unnecessary lighting and devices.
• Manage your thermostat: Keep thermostats at a constant, comfortable level when at home. Raise the thermostat setting for days of extreme heat to save even more. Install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust your home's temperature settings when you're away or sleeping.
• Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed: About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows. Simply closing blinds and curtains, which act as a layer of insulation, can reduce heat in your home.
• Use ceiling fans to circulate air: For those without air conditioning, use ceiling fans or portable fans with the windows partially open to circulate fresh air into your home. For those with air conditioning, fans can be used to evenly distribute cool air.
• Use appliances wisely: Run appliances that produce heat (like clothes dryers, ovens, and dishwashers) at night when it is cooler.
  

By completing a few simple steps, together we can be ready, stay safe, stay cool, and use less energy this summer.

To learn more, readers are encouraged to visit The Source, Pepco's online news room. Find additional information about Pepco by visiting pepco.com. Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/pepcoconnect and on Twitter at twitter.com/pepcoconnect. Our mobile app is available at pepco.com/mobileapp.