​WASHINGTON, D.C.  (April 11, 2018) – Pepco will inspect 16,700 wooden utility poles across the region throughout the year as part of the company's commitment to deliver safe and reliable energy for customers. The company's Wood Pole Inspection Program is part of the preventive maintenance work it undertakes annually to proactively review its system and address potential problems before they occur.

"Pepco is committed to ensuring that we are delivering the highest level of service to our valued customers," said Donna Cooper, Pepco region president. "These proactive programs provide us important information to help prevent outages before they occur. Our execution of these programs are key factors in enhancing system reliability, safety, and operational efficiency."

Inspections will include examining poles and the attached electrical equipment, taking samples from the interior of poles, and excavating around the base to check for decay. Following that inspection, Pepco makes any necessary repairs and replacements so the pole can safely serve customers until its next inspection. 

Pepco maintains nearly 167,500 poles across its service area in the District of Columbia and Maryland, and each pole is inspected every 10 years in accordance with the National Electric Safety Code. Over the last five years, Pepco has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in the region to modernize the local electric distribution system and enhance reliability for customers.

To learn more, readers are encouraged to visit The Source, Pepco's online news room. Find additional information about Pepco by visiting www.pepco.com. Follow us 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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 About Pepco: Pepco, a public utility owned by Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), provides safe and reliable energy to more than 842,000 electric delivery customers in Maryland and the District of Columbia. ​