PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- PECO has mobilized for the effects of Hurricane Ernesto on the Philadelphia region, activating its emergency response center and deploying extra crews for throughout the weekend to respond to whatever storm damage may occur.
PECO reminds customers who experience an outage to immediately call 1-800-841-4141 and not assume the company is aware of the problem. PECO said its automated, interactive phone system allows the company to accept thousands of calls at a time in order to collect outage information faster, analyze trouble and most effectively respond to outages. PECO reports no significant trouble at this time.
Ernesto, which was downgraded to a tropical depression late this morning, still poses a serious flood threat to Philadelphia and the rest of the MidAtlantic region. The storm could bring 2 to 6 inches of rain and winds gusting up to 35 m.p.h. this evening and overnight.
With saturated ground and high winds, there could be tree damage and downed power lines as the storm intensifies. PECO cautions the public to be aware of their surroundings, report any downed wires, and stay away from any downed lines as a precaution. If power lines fall on vehicles, motorists are advised to stay in the vehicle until emergency assistance arrives since the car can become energized.
PECO's storm preparations include:
-- Activating the company's emergency response center in Plymouth Meeting
to coordinate planning and support activities;
-- Increasing call center and field staff for the evening, overnight and
daytime shifts through the weekend. PECO field personnel will be
supplemented by 44 contractor crews as well as Asplundh tree crews;
-- Planning damage patrols and screening operations beginning early
Saturday morning; and
-- Scheduling periodic inspections of electric substations in low-lying
areas, mostly in the suburbs, that could be affected by potential
flooding.
To prepare for possible storm power outages, customers should:
-- Keep PECO's emergency telephone number handy with other emergency
numbers near the telephone;
-- Have a flashlight with fresh batteries on each floor of your home;
-- Have a battery-powered clock and radio in your home.
The company recommends that customers follow these simple steps if they experience an outage:
-- Check with neighbors if their power is out;
-- Call PECO as soon as possible at 1-800-841-4141;
-- Use option 3 if specific details of damage can be described, such as
downed poles, wires, etc.;
-- Turn off and unplug most appliances to prevent an electrical overload
when power is restored and keep a few lights on so you know when
service is restored;
-- Be extra cautious using candles so they are not unattended or near
anything that could ignite.
PECO said it is committed to be responsive and restore power as quickly and safely as possible. The company will strive to provide customers estimated restoration times once the full extent of damage is known.
Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation . PECO serves 1.6 million electric and 474,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2004, the company delivered 37.5 million megawatt-hours (Mwh) of electricity and 87.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas to residential, business and institutional customers. PECO's energy delivery services generated $4.49 billion in revenue for Exelon. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations.
Contact: Communications
PECO, An Exelon Company
2301 Market Street, S14-1
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-841-5555
