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.

Mutual Assistance Crews Arriving Ahead of Storm

We are closely monitoring the changing forecasts and preparing for the worst of the predictions. Mutual assistance crews from Alabama and Georgia have begun to arrive.  We have requested over 300 mutual assistance crews for the storm restoration effort.

We have more than 450 overhead line contractors already working on the system and available, along with over 300 tree contractor crews actively performing reliability enhancement tree trimming work, in addition to preparing for restoration work.

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 about a foot through the Pepco region with wind gusts of up to 35 mph. A Winter Storm Watch means there is also a potential for significant sleet and/or ice.

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 cause 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 through our website or through our mobile app.

For more information and updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter and download our mobile app.

Learn About Pepco’s Energy Wise Rewards Program

Pepco’s Energy Wise Rewards program is a new, voluntary program that helps decrease electricity consumption during peak energy use periods and saves you money. This program has been successful in Maryland and is now available to residents in the District of Columbia.

By allowing Pepco to remotely cycle off the compressor on your home’s central air conditioning and heat pump during specific peak-usage time periods, electricity consumption is reduced. In exchange, participating customers are rewarded financially with incentive payments off their Pepco bill. You save energy and money. It also reduces the strain on the electric grid during times of peak usage, such as heat waves.

Pepco contractors will be in your neighborhood visiting customers door-to-door providing more information on the program. Contractors wear Pepco Energy Wise Rewards insignias on their shirt and provide identification to customers so that they are easily recognizable to the public. In addition, our representatives will offer their business cards upon request.

We understand that there may be various vendors canvassing your community. However, Pepco Energy Wise Rewards Contractors will never ask you to provide them with a copy of your Pepco bill.

Your safety is very important to us!

If for any reason there is question or concern with anyone at your door, please ask them to show you their identification.

For more information, please visit pepco.com/rewards or call 1-866-353-5798.

Pepco Holdings’ Executive Addresses Workforce Retirement Benefits

Our guest blogger is Beverly L. Perry, Senior Vice President, External Affairs for Pepco Holdings, Inc. She explains the importance of utility industry workforce retirement benefits.

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Defined benefits retirement plans are standard in the electric industry.  Is it necessary to offer retirement benefits to attract and retain skilled workers in the electric utility industry?

This issue is open to debate in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Region.

As a utility executive, I participate in numerous discussions regarding workforce training, succession planning, as well as emergency and storm preparation.  From my perspective, one of the greatest threats to the electric utility industry is the potential 3-year employment revolving door that dominates the thinking of a multi-generational workforce in today’s competitive market.

 The tough question, of course, in a regulated business, is how to strike a balance between costs and incentivized benefits capable of sustaining a workforce.  Some variable cannot be sacrificed, including specialized expertise, security, safety, and training.  Without belaboring the details of the variables mentioned, I believe that it is obvious that electric utility work is not geared for the 3-year revolving door employment tenure.

 Pepco believes that it has struck the right balance by offering compensation and benefits, including a retirement plan, that assures its customers a continuous skilled workforce at a reasonable cost which is incorporated in the cost of service.

Beverly Perry — SVP, External Affairs Pepco Holdings, Inc.