CHICAGO, June 20 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 90 percent of customers affected by the destructive storms that struck on June 19 were restored in fewer than 38 hours. About 245,000 customers lost power as a result of the storm.
As of 9:30 p.m., approximately 9,300 customers remain without power across the entire ComEd service territory. To address these outages, crews are working 16-hour shifts to restore customers as safely and quickly as possible. More than 300 crews, including 50 contractors, have participated in the restoration effort. Out-of-state crews were not a practical option for this restoration effort as they wouldn't be able to arrive in affected areas until late Sunday evening.
"We expect to restore the vast majority of the remaining affected customers by noon on Sunday," said Anne Pramaggiore, ComEd President and COO. "Our crews continue to do a superb job, and we thank our customers for their continued patience as we work to get everyone restored."
Damage from the storms was severe and widespread. High winds in excess of 60 miles per hour were estimated in some areas. In some locations, winds uprooted trees, and heavy rains affected ComEd power lines and equipment. Bolingbrook, Glenbard, Maywood, Crystal Lake and Skokie were hardest hit. ComEd established an incident command center at ComEd's Glenbard office to support efforts in restoring power to this area.
Customers remaining without electric service should report their outage to 1-800-EDISON-1 (1-800-334-7661). Additionally, anyone seeing a downed power line is urged to stay clear. Never approach a downed power line. Always presume a power line is energized and extremely dangerous. Immediately call ComEd at 1-800-EDISON1 to report the location. And it is important to check on elderly and other sensitive family members and neighbors to ensure their safety and to make alternate arrangements for where they can stay should power remain out longer than anticipated.
ComEd also offers the following suggestions for customers experiencing a prolonged outage:
-- Turn off all lights and appliances, including your furnace, water heater, and water pump. -- Leave one light on so you can know when power has been restored. This will also avoid a power surge when your power is restored. -- Keep freezer and refrigerator doors closed and open them only when necessary. Food will stay frozen for 36 to 48 hours in a fully loaded freezer, if the door remains closed. A half-full freezer will generally keep food frozen for 24 hours. -- Customers who are on medical support equipment are strongly encouraged to evacuate to a place where they can be comfortable and safe.
Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation , one of the nation's largest electric utilities with approximately 5.2 million customers. ComEd provides service to approximately 3.8 million customers across Northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population.
ComEd
CONTACT: ComEd Media Relations, +1-312-394-3500
Web Site: http://www.exeloncorp.com/
