Powering a Sustainable Future

We are committed to providing safe, reliable services that are energy efficient. Our business strategy features a strong commitment to enhancing sustainability efforts in the economy, environment, workforce and community.

To highlight our successes and challenges in advancing our sustainability strategy over the past year, our parent company, Pepco Holdings Inc. (PHI), released its 2013 Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship Report. Improving reliability ultimately results in a better customer experience – and the past two years were the best in PHI’s reporting history for reliability performance.

We encourage you to learn more about our sustainability efforts outlined in our full 2013 Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship Report.  Below are a few highlights:

Economic Sustainability. We’re currently making investments that will positively impact our regional economy and overall customer experience. We continue to foster programs that support energy efficiency, and educate our customers about ways to conserve. Through our voluntary Energy Wise Rewards program, customers can save money and energy by using web programmable thermostats or outdoor switches to cycle central air conditioning compressors during peak usage hours.

Environmental Sustainability. The number of PHI’s business and residential customers who produce their own energy through generators, solar panels or wind has steadily increased. Additionally to support environmental reliability, we continue to be proactive in our recycling efforts. In 2013 PHI reduced, reused or recycled more than 88,000 tons of waste materials.

Sustaining our Workforce. Safety is our primary core value, and we are happy to report the lowest number of recordable injuries and preventable motor vehicle accidents in PHI’s history in 2013. This year, we also created our “Energize Results” initiative – encouraging employees to contribute to a culture of accountability, trust and teamwork.

Sustaining our Communities. We continue to place a high value on volunteerism and corporate giving. Overall, PHI and its employees volunteered more than 5,200 hours and donated roughly $4.7 million to more than 920 charities and non-profit organizations in our regions this year.

Our 2013 Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship Report summarizes our progress between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013 using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) sustainability reporting guidelines.

Reliability work in Columbia Heights

We are continuing our reliability work in Columbia Heights due to recent service issues. We understand the frustration customers have with outages and have already started implementing a plan to fix the issues. We anticipate this work will be completed by the end of June if we have good weather and normal system conditions.

Infrastructure enhancements in this area include:

Completed Work

• Installed 500 feet of new primary underground cable along Park Road near 11th Street
• Used smart meter technology to review overload trends which helped us identify transformers to upgrade in two locations

Work in Progress

• Replacing underground cable on 14th Street between Columbia Road and Monroe Street, NW
• Expanding a manhole and installing new conduit near Park Road and Holmead Place, NW

Work Starting Soon

• Replacing underground cable on Park Road between Holmead Place and 14th Street, NW
• Installing 15-20 feet of conduit on 14th Street near Park Road, NW
• Installing 350-400 feet of conduit on Park Road east of 14th Street, NW
• Replacing cable on Park Road between 14th and 11th streets, NW
• Increasing the capacity of a transformer on Park Rd NW
• Increasing the capacity of a transformer near Park Road and Holmead Place, NW
• Replacing a switch at 14th Street and Park Road, NW

We will continue to work with the business community and local representatives in Columbia Heights to coordinate the scheduling of any service interruptions that are necessary to safely complete this work. We may be required to reschedule if we encounter severe weather or cold temperatures. Customers that are affected by this work will be notified.

We remain committed to improving reliability as quickly as possible for our Columbia Heights customers.

Upgrading equipment in Bloomingdale

As part of our ongoing effort to improve reliability for our Bloomingdale customers, we are using smart meter technology to identify equipment that needs to be upgraded. We will be installing new higher capacity transformers in the following areas:

• Flagler Place and V Street, NW
  Electric service will be interrupted for a small number of customers on Monday, Aug. 12, from 12 a.m. until 6 a.m.

• Rhode Island Ave between North Capitol and 1st Street, NW
  Electric service will be interrupted for a small number of customers on Wednesday, Aug. 14 from 12 a.m. until 6 a.m.

We are contacting customers that will be affected by this work and will continue to keep them updated on the work we are doing in the Bloomingdale area.

Planned work in Bloomingdale

We are continuing our work in the Bloomingdale area due to recent service issues. Increased load, caused by tremendous growth in the area and the recent heat wave put stress on the aging infrastructure. We understand the frustration customers have with multiple outages and we are implementing a plan to fix the issues.

Work is currently under way to enlarge the underground vault that will house a set of three new higher capacity transformers. Some customers will experience an outage from Monday at 10 p.m. through Tuesday at 6 a.m. while the new transformers are being installed. Those affected by this work will receive a door hanger and phone call. While we understand any outage is an inconvenience, we worked with local businesses to identify the least disruptive time to perform these upgrades.

We are also accelerating work that will increase capacity, replace aging infrastructure and improve reliability in the area.

• We are reviewing load analysis data to identify additional transformers in the area that need to be upgraded or replaced
  • New smart meter technology will allow us to detect increased load
• We are using thermal technology to find hot spots that can indicate problems with equipment
• We have plans to treat cables using silicon injection technology which has been proven to reduce outages

We will continue to keep customers updated on the work we are doing in the Bloomingdale area. If customers have questions, we ask them to please contact Customer Care at 202-833-7500.

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

2012 Corporate Social Responsibility Report Highlights

We’re dedicated to providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity to our customers, but our job goes well beyond providing power. We have a strong history of philanthropy and civic engagement in the District of Columbia and Maryland.  In the end, we are residents, too, and we benefit along with the larger community when we make the effort to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Our annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report gives us an opportunity to share with you the many activities and charitable giving campaigns that have taken place over the year. In 2012, we supported a wide variety of cultural, educational, environmental, health and business initiatives dedicated to improving the quality of life for all citizens. Our employees led the way by contributing more than 3,000 hours of volunteerism throughout our service territory, and we couldn’t be more proud of their efforts to engage with and advance the communities we serve. At the same time, nearly 350 local and regional organizations received corporate contributions from Pepco and our parent company, PHI, totaling more than $3 million.

If you have followed our reliability enhancement activities, you’ve often heard me say in commercials that our work continues. So, too, will our commitment to serving our customers through corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. I hope you enjoy reading our 2012 CSR Report and that you continue to partner with us to support the communities we serve.

Sincerely,

Thomas H. Graham
President
Pepco Region

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

Accelerating Improvements in Resiliency and Reliability for Maryland Customers

There has been some confusion about the grid resiliency charge and why we included it in our Maryland rate case filing. I wanted to use our blog to explain why we think the grid resiliency charge is a good thing for both the company and our customers.

We began working more than two years ago on the biggest reliability effort in our 117-year history, and we are reducing the number and length of outages. We are committed to improving reliability and the customer experience, and that work will continue.

Our proposal for accelerating some of that work stems from a report issued by the Grid Resiliency Task Force. With an increase in frequency and intensity of storms, Governor O’Malley convened this task force in July 2012 to address resiliency and reliability of the Maryland electric distribution system. This task force held eight roundtable discussions featuring community leaders, policy experts and industry stakeholders from across the country. In September, it released a report that recommended accelerating reliability investment and raising reliability standards.

In response to that task force report, we put together a plan that would accelerate improvements in resiliency and reliability for customers. We propose to:

• Underground six distribution feeders (three in Montgomery County and three in Prince George’s County), reducing the frequency and duration of outages for customers
• Accelerate our four-year tree-trimming cycle (approximately 1,000 miles each year) to complete the cycle in three years, which would reduce power outages caused by tree branches falling onto power lines
• Upgrade 12 additional feeders per year for two years
• Raise the reliability performance beyond the level required by Maryland’s Service Quality and Reliability Standards

The Grid Resiliency Task Force also recommended that the Public Service Commission authorize timely recovery for the accelerated investments and expenses. We proposed to do that through a grid resiliency charge. If approved, customers would see a small increase in their bills. Starting in January 2014, a typical residential customer’s bill would increase about $0.96 per month. In 2015 the surcharge would increase from $0.96 to $1.70 per month, and in 2016 it would increase to $1.93 per month. We want to make significant improvements in resiliency and reliability while keeping the additional charge to customers under $2 per month.

Because reliability work would be accelerated, we think it’s fair to raise the reliability standards that we must meet. If we don’t meet the new accelerated reliability standards by 2015, we will refund customers up to $1 million. If we do meet the new reliability standards, we may receive up to a $1 million incentive.

As I noted earlier, the work we have been doing to improve reliability is paying off. From 2011 to 2012, outages on feeders that we worked on decreased by 39 percent and those outages that did occur were 42 percent shorter. We expect to meet the reliability standards that are currently in place without performing the proposed grid resiliency projects. However, by doing the work proposed as part of the grid resiliency charge, customers will experience a more resilient and reliable electric system in a much shorter time period. I welcome you to post questions in the comment section below.

Tom Graham
President, Pepco Region

Continuing to Improve Reliability

Our customers are continuing to see fewer and shorter outages, thanks to the reliability work we’re doing. From 2011 to 2012, outages on feeders that Pepco worked on as part of our Reliability Enhancement Plan decreased by 39 percent and those outages that did occur were 42 percent shorter.

Between September 2010 and January 2013, we:

• Trimmed more than 4,850 miles of trees along power lines in Maryland and about 850 miles in the District of Columbia. We plan to trim another 1,225 miles in Maryland and the District between now and the end of the year.
• Renewed or replaced more than 650 miles of neighborhood underground electric cable in Maryland and 58 miles in the District, with plans to do the same for another 200 miles between now and the end of the year.
• Improved the service of feeder lines that bring power into neighborhoods with the poorest reliability by upgrading more than 115 distribution feeders in Maryland, 66 feeders in the District of Columbia. We plan to complete work on about 100 more this year in the region.

Since we began our reliability work in September 2010, we also have:

• Doubled the number of Customer Care representatives who take calls and more than doubled the number of phone lines.
• Made arrangements to use outside customer service help during major outages.
• Retrained all Customer Care representatives and additional help.

We are upgrading our system to make sure we can provide safe and reliable service for our customers day to day and during storms, and our work continues.

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.