BALTIMORE, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), a subsidiary of Constellation Energy , today announced that it is working to restore electric service to the more than 82,000 customers whose service was interrupted as a result of the weekend snow storm that hit Central Maryland Saturday evening and continues to impact the area. BGE anticipates that as the storm continues and the wind picks up, additional outages will occur across its service territory and complete restoration will likely exceed 24 hours.
"BGE began to pre-mobilize crews Saturday evening in anticipation of storm-related outages and we continue to bring in personnel both for field work as well as other storm-related roles," said Mark P. Huston, vice president of electric transmission and distribution for BGE. "But because of extremely dangerous road conditions, it will take much longer than normal for our crews to arrive at locations where service has been interrupted. Additionally, BGE has requested assistance from neighboring utilities to supplement restoration efforts, but at this time, there has been no commitment from those utilities to assist BGE as they are also coping with the impact of the storm. We thank our customers in advance for their patience and cooperation."
The safety of BGE's customers and employees is always a top priority. Customers should avoid downed power lines and report them immediately by calling 1-877-778-2222. Customers also should call this number to report power outages where downed wires are not apparent. Only qualified BGE personnel or contractors are authorized to remove debris from power lines. Customers should never approach downed wires for any reason. Because of snow depth, downed wires as well as fallen trees may not be immediately apparent to motorists or pedestrians, therefore customers should use extreme caution when venturing outdoors.
Customers should always be prepared for weather related power outages and can do so in part, by keeping the following items readily available:
* Flashlights - not candles
* Fresh batteries
* Battery operated clock radio
* Corded telephone
* Fully charged cell phone
* Non-perishable foods
* Blankets
Customers also should consider filling the fuel tanks of their vehicles in the event a power outage affects service to neighborhood gas stations. For our customers who rely on well water, filling a bathtub with water in advance of severe weather is strongly encouraged.
Additionally, customers with special needs such as those who may be elderly, handicapped or dependent on electricity for medical equipment, should have alternate arrangements in place should they experience an extended power outage.
Once service restoration begins, BGE's priorities are public safety issues and critical facilities, such as pumping stations, 911 centers and hospitals. Then restoration is generally scheduled so that the greatest number of customers can be restored as quickly and as safely as possible. However, in cases of extended power outages, consideration is also given to customers who have been without service for the longest. For more information about BGE storm preparation and how customers can protect their families and property, go to http://www.bge.com/.
In addition to monitoring current and approaching weather conditions which could result in service interruptions, BGE regularly conducts emergency training drills during which all aspects of storm related service restoration are tested. BGE also reviews its Electric Delivery Emergency Response Plan to ensure that storm response procedures are up-to-date and in line with industry standards.
BGE is a member of Constellation Energy , a FORTUNE 200 company based in Baltimore. Constellation Energy is the nation's largest competitive supplier of electricity to large commercial and industrial customers and the nation's largest wholesale power seller. Constellation Energy also manages fuels and energy services on behalf of energy intensive industries and utilities. It owns a diversified fleet of more than 100 generating units located throughout the United States, totaling approximately 12,000 megawatts of generating capacity. The company also delivers electricity and natural gas through the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), its regulated utility in Central Maryland. In 2005, the combined revenues of the integrated energy company totaled $17.1 billion.
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: linda.j.foy@bge.com
