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PECO Information regarding Hurricane

Posted: 10/28/2012 9:04 PM

PECO has activated its emergency response organization and is busy making preparations to respond to Hurricane Sandy which is expected to bring extreme weather with drenching rains and sustained high winds. Our crews stand ready to repair storm damage and restore service to customers as quickly and safely as possible.

We have activated hundreds of employees including back office support, engineers, operations and other staff to ensure we are well-prepared to handle the impact from the storm.

If we get a direct hit, we expect that this storm will result in a multi-day restoration. We are prepared to bring in additional crews from our sister utility ComEd in Chicago and from as far away as Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi to support our storm restoration efforts.

Dependent upon the severity of the storm, there is the potential that we may have to suspend our automated estimated restoration time customer messages for a day or until we get more information as we assess damage to our system.

Customers should also prepare for possible storm damage:

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  • Keep PECO's emergency telephone number (1-800-841-4141) handy.
  • Sign up for an online account with PECO and access www.peco.com from your mobile device to report outages and check system status.
  • Have a flashlight with fresh batteries on each floor of your home.
  • Have a battery powered clock and radio available.

If an outage occurs:

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  • Customers without power should contact the company at 1-800-841-4141. The more customers who call to report an outage, the more effectively PECO can dispatch crews and restore service. The company's automated telephone system can quickly record your outage, allowing our Customer Care representatives to remain available to handle reports of dangerous situations.
  • Stay away from downed wires, damaged electric equipment, and tree limbs and branches contacting electrical equipment. Always assume PECO's equipment is energized – even if there is an outage in your neighborhood. Report these dangerous conditions to PECO immediately.
  • Turn off and unplug appliances and other devices to prevent possible damage. Remember to keep one light on so you know when service has been restored.
  • Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Move meats, cheese, milk, etc. into the freezer to stay colder longer. A partially full freezer can keep food frozen for up to 24 hours, and up to 48 hours when full.

Customers with generators should never connect them directly to home wiring or plug them into household outlets. Generators connected to home wiring can 'back feed' into PECO's electric delivery system, risking serious injury or death to PECO crews. Generators should always be placed outside to prevent carbon-monoxide poisoning.