May 31, 2017   SOURCE: BusinessWire

PECO Ready to Beat the Heat

With summer just around the corner, PECO has been hard at work, prepping its systems, and testing its processes and procedures to ensure safe and reliable service for customers all summer long. The recent completion of nearly 300 projects and initiatives across the region, and more than $30 million in capital investments will help ensure reliable electric service for PECO’s 1.6 million customers.

“We are committed to providing safe and reliable service for our customers every day, no matter how high the temperature climbs or how much energy our customers need,” said Mike Innocenzo, PECO senior vice president and chief operating officer. “The work we have completed during the past few months will help us deliver on that commitment for our customers.”

This work is part of more than $500 million invested each year in the company’s systems. In addition, through PECO’s System 2020 plan, an additional $274 million is being invested through 2020, to install advanced equipment and reinforce the local electric system, making it more weather resistant and less vulnerable to storm damage.

PECO completes hundreds of tasks to prepare for the summer season, including system work, testing and drills. PECO employees across the region also are ready to respond to severe summer storms or emergencies, if needed. And, as part of the Exelon family of companies, PECO now can call on resources from sister utilities in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and Illinois to restore power quicker after major storms.

As PECO prepares for summer, customers should prepare too. Before severe weather hits, customers should:

  • Have a supply of bottled water and easy-to-prepare, non-perishable foods available.
  • Charge cell phones and mobile devices.
  • Have a flashlight with fresh batteries on each floor of your home.
  • Visit peco.com/alerts to choose how to receive information, via text, email or phone, including when power is out in their area, when service is expected to be restored, or when power is restored.
  • Text “ADDOUTAGE” to MYPECO (697326), to enroll in PECO’s two-way texting program to report outages and check the status of their outage.

If severe storms hit, PECO has many online resources to keep customers informed. Our interactive outage map, at peco.com/outagemap, provides customers information about outages across our system and how quickly we expect power will be restored. Customers also can report or view the status of an electric outage through our enhanced website.

Higher temperatures can lead to higher energy bills, and PECO provides a variety of programs to help customers save energy and money. For example, PECO Smart Ideas, the company’s full suite of energy efficiency programs, helps residential, business, government and non-profit customers save energy and money. For more ways to save energy, visit peco.com/smartideas.

In addition, customers can save energy and lower their bills this summer by following a few simple tips:

  • Turn it off: Turn off all unnecessary lighting and devices.
  • Manage your thermostat: Keep thermostats at a constant, comfortable level when at home. Raise the thermostat setting for days of extreme heat to save even more. Install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust your home's temperature settings when you're away or sleeping.
  • Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed: About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows. Simply closing blinds and curtains, which act as a layer of insulation, can reduce heat in your home.
  • Use ceiling fans to circulate air: For those without air conditioning, use ceiling fans or portable fans with the windows partially open to circulate fresh air into your home. For those with air conditioning, fans can be used to evenly distribute cool air.
  • Use appliances wisely: Run appliances that produce heat (like clothes dryers, ovens and dishwashers) at night when it is cooler.

PECO, founded in 1881, is Pennsylvania’s largest electric and natural gas utility. Headquartered in Philadelphia, PECO delivers energy to more than 1.6 million electric customers and more than 516,000 natural gas customers in southeastern, Pennsylvania. The company’s 2,500 employees are dedicated to the safe and reliable delivery of electricity and natural gas as well as enhanced energy management conservation, environmental stewardship and community assistance. PECO was named 2017 Best Mid-size Employer in Philadelphia by Forbes Magazine. The company also has an estimated annual economic impact of $4.3 billion in Pennsylvania, supporting more than 8,700 local jobs and producing $732 million in labor income. PECO is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's only Fortune 100 utility and leading competitive energy provider. For more information visit PECO.com, and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter.