The Summer Storm Season Is Here

Weather can be unpredictable, but taking a little time to prepare before a storm strikes can help you stay safe and connected to information in the event of severe weather. We encourage you to review this information and take steps to prepare now.

Before a Storm Strikes
Assemble an emergency storm kit with bottled water, nonperishable foods, blankets, flashlights and extra batteries, a first-aid kit and hand tools. Be sure to stock prescriptions, special medical or infant supplies and other essentials. Then develop and practice an emergency plan with everyone in your household.

If you rely on emergency or life-support equipment such as a respirator or kidney dialysis machine, our Emergency Medical Equipment Notification Program (EMENP) can provide advanced notice of severe storms and scheduled outages. Visit pepco.com/EMENP to learn more.

If severe weather is approaching, charge cell phones and mobile devices, protect and unplug electronics and fill your tub if your water supply depends on electricity. Be sure to download our mobile app to help you stay connected to information.

If Power Goes Out

• Restoring power safely takes time. Follow these steps to minimize the effect of an outage in your home.
• Unplug or turn off TVs, appliances and lights, keeping one lamp switched on so you know when power has been restored
• Keep freezer and refrigerator doors closed
• Close blinds and shades to keep rooms cool
• Always operate portable generators outside, away from doors and windows so deadly fumes won’t enter your home or garage
• Drink plenty of water and avoid overheating
• When conditions are safe, check on elderly or home-bound neighbors who may be vulnerable to heat stress

Preparing for Winter Storms

Use these helpful tips to be ready when severe weather strikes in winter.

• Assemble an emergency storm kit containing bottled water, non-perishable foods, blankets, flashlights and extra batteries, first-aid kit and prescription medications, special medical or infant supplies, hand tools and other essential items
• If using a portable generator, always operate it outside and away from doors and windows to prevent deadly carbon monoxide fumes from entering the home
• Purchase a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector for your home if you plan to use an alternative source of heat – carbon monoxide is not only colorless and odorless, it is deadly
• Clear snow away from appliance vents located outside your home so your heater, clothes dryer and other appliances will continue to operate safely
• If your home has a heat pump, clear it of snow to make sure air can circulate properly
• Remember to take breaks while clearing snow and avoid over exerting yourself
• When conditions are safe, check on elderly or home-bound neighbors
• Ensure your contact information is up to date (Have your account number available, call 202-833-7500 and say “update phone number”)

For more safety tips, download and print our Storm Preparation Handbook. Please remember to report outages and downed wires by calling 1-877-737-2662, using the mobile app or by visiting our website.

Weathering the Storm

Violent storms are more frequent in a changing world, and it is essential to be prepared. For us, that means planning thoroughly before weather threatens, responding quickly when a storm hits, and restoring power as safely and quickly as possible in the event of an outage. Safety is our top priority and we encourage you to review these tips to prepare and stay safe when severe weather strikes.

Before a Storm

• Assemble an emergency storm kit that contains items you’ll need in the event of a prolonged power outage:
  • Flashlights and extra batteries
  • Battery-powered radio or TV
  • Land-line phone with cord (cordless phones require electricity)
  • Supply of bottled water (one gallon per person per day)
  • First-aid kit and prescription medications
  • Blankets, bedding or sleeping bags
  • Hand-operated can opener
  • Special medical or infant supplies
  • Variety of hand tools
  • List of emergency phone numbers
• Develop and practice an emergency plan with everyone in your household
• Make sure cell phones are charged and download the Pepco Self-Service app (pepco.com/mobileapp) for your mobile device so you can report outages, get estimated restoration times, access interactive outage maps, and call us through a direct dial link

During a Storm

• Locate your emergency storm kit
• Tune in to local news broadcasts
• Never go near downed wires and always stay clear of working crews
• Avoid wet and flooded areas as electricity and water are a dangerous combination

If Power Goes Out

• Report your outage through our mobile app, website, or by calling 1-877-737-2662
• Unplug or turn off TVs, appliances and most lamps, and leave one lamp switched on so you know when power is restored
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed
• Close shades or curtains to keep rooms cooler
• Be safe around candles and open flames
• If you are operating a generator, make sure that you follow all safety guidelines

Our Power Restoration Process
Our restoration process begins once the storm has passed and conditions are safe for our professionals. The video below shows the order that we approach systems to help ensure quick and safe restoration of power.

For more helpful tips, download and print our Storm Preparation Handbook.

Important Phone Numbers
Report Power Outages and Downed Wires: 1-877-737-2662
Customer Service: 202-833-7500
Servicio en Español: 202-872-4641
TTY for Hearing Impaired: 202-872-2369

Learn About Our Emergency Medical Equipment Notification Program

At Pepco, we recognize that some of our customers rely on life-support equipment that requires electricity to operate.  We encourage these customers to sign up for our Emergency Medical Equipment Notification Program (EMENP). The program provides advance notice of scheduled outages and severe weather alerts to customers who depend on electricity for emergency medical and life-support equipment.

What We Provide To Qualified Participants

• An annual information package to help customers with life-support equipment prepare for emergencies in their homes
• Advance Notification of scheduled outages for maintenance or construction work that might affect their electric service
• Advance Notification of severe storms such as hurricane warnings that could lead to extended outages on our electric system

Please note that since customers who rely on electricity to power life-support equipment are located throughout our service area, it is not possible to provide restoration priority to these customers following storm outages. In addition, the program does not exempt customers from disconnection of electric service for non-payment.

How to Get Started

To enroll, please download, print and complete the certification form or call our Customer Care Team to request the certification form to be mailed to you. The fax number for submitting completed certification forms is 800-461-9737, or you may send the form to us through:

Mail:
Pepco
Customer Credit Department
701 Ninth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20068-0001

Email: MedicalForms@pepco.com

Download:
Certification Form for MD Residents
Certification Form for DC Residents

How to Prepare For Emergencies 

• Assemble a “storm kit” and include a battery-operated radio or television, flashlight, a first-aid kit, battery powered or windup clock, extra batteries, an insulated cooler and a list of important and emergency phone numbers.
• Keep at least a 3-day supply of nonperishable foods and bottled water and have a hand-operated can opener available.
• Check your supplies of medications, prescription drugs and any special health need items such as Contact lens supplies or infant supplies.
• Identify a location with emergency power capabilities, and make plans ahead of time to go there or to a health care facility during a prolonged outage. One alternative would be to ask a relative or friend who has power if you can stay with them.

For more tips on how to prepare for emergencies, visit our EMENP page on our website.

Important Phone Numbers

Outages
1-877-PEPCO62 (1-877-737-2662)

Customer Care
202-833-7500

Emergencies
To report downed wires and life-threatening emergencies, call us at 1-877-737-2662 and follow the prompts.

TTY: 202-872-2369
Servicio en Espanol: 202-872-4641

We are prepared for possibility of continued snow, ice and gusty winds

We have mobilized more than 1,600 employees and contractors including field crews, call center representatives and support staff prepared to meet our customers’ needs during this winter storm. Although weather conditions have not been as severe as some forecasts, we are prepared to respond to outages, and customers should expect the possibility of outages through the night.

Our parent company, Pepco Holdings Inc., has received commitments for more than 400 mutual assistance personnel from as far away as Alabama, some of whom started arriving Tuesday to assist with the power restoration effort throughout our Mid-Atlantic service territory.

After a severe storm, we will restore power by targeting wires serving critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations, as well as those serving the greatest number of customers. It is important that customers report their outage and request a call back to verify their power has been restored.

Customers are asked to please call in any outages and stay away from any down wires.​ To report outages and/or downed wires, please call 1-877-737-2662. For more information and updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter at PepcoConnect, and download our mobile app at www.pepco.com/mobileapp.

We are prepared for the worst of the predictions

We are continuing to monitor the changing weather forecasts and are prepared for the worst of the predictions.

Mutual assistance personnel from Alabama and Georgia began to arrive yesterday and additional personnel are arriving today to assist with restoration efforts. In addition to our internal crews, we have mobilized 400 mutual assistance personnel and they will be assigned as needed across PHI’s three service territories. We have about 450 overhead line contractors and about 300 tree contractors already working on our system who are prepared for storm restoration work. Our Call Centers are staffed and operational 24 hours a day through this event.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Washington Metropolitan Area through this evening. Weather forecasts predict snow accumulations from 5 to 10 inches through the Pepco region with wind gusts of up to 35 mph. A Winter Storm Warning means there is also a potential for significant sleet and/or ice. We are preparing for the possibility of widespread outages, and we ask our customers to prepare now as well.

Heavy, wet snow, ice, and high winds can bring tree limbs into contact with power lines to cause power outages. Heavy rain and oversaturated soil can allow trees already weakened by previous storms to fall onto power lines and equipment to cause power outages. Outages can also occur due to drivers skidding into utility poles along wet roads.

Customers are asked to please report any outages and stay away from any down wires. To report outages and/or downed wires, please call 1-877-737-2662, follow the prompts, and please ask for a call back to confirm that power has been restored. Call Centers are staffed and operational 24 hours a day through this event. Outages also may be reported on our website or through our mobile app.

For more information and updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter at PepcoConnect.

We Are Closely Monitoring an Approaching Winter Storm

We are closely monitoring an approaching winter storm. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Washington Metropolitan Area from Tuesday evening to Wednesday evening. Weather forecasts are still changing, but some predict snow accumulations of more than a foot of snow through the Pepco region with up to 17 inches predicted in some locations in Montgomery County. We also expect wind gusts of up to 35 mph. A Winter Storm Watch means there is also a potential for significant sleet and/or ice. We are preparing for the worst of the forecasts.

Heavy, wet snow; ice; and high winds can bring tree limbs into contact with power lines to cause power outages. Heavy rain and oversaturated soil can allow trees already weakened by previous storms to fall onto power lines and equipment to cause power outages. Outages can also occur due to drivers skidding into utility poles along wet roads.

We will have extra line and tree crews available, and the Call Center will be staffed overnight. In addition to internal crews, we have more than 450 overhead line contractors already working on the system available if needed. Pepco Holdings Inc. (PHI), parent company for Pepco, is also asking for more contractor support and has asked for 250 mutual assistance crews from other utilities. We also have almost 300 tree contractors already working on our system.

Customers are asked to please call in any outages and stay away from any down wires. To report outages and/or downed wires, please call 1-877-737-2662, follow the prompts, and please ask for a call back to confirm that power has been restored. Outages also may be reported on our website or through our mobile app.