| Heat Causes Major Power Outages |
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| Regional Archives | |||
| Written by WI Staff Report | |||
| Thursday, 29 July 2010 09:41 | |||
 Pepco workers work to repair power outages. Courtesy PhotoGraham said that regional utility Pepco reported more than 232,000 customers were still without power in Washington and neighboring Maryland counties. Because the damage was so widespread, it was unclear when most people would get their power back, Hainey said. Major power lines were down, electric poles were broken, and numerous transformers were damaged, he said. Pepco officials reported that as of 7:30 a.m., Tue. July 27, power had been restored to nearly half of those effected, but that 138,000 customers remained without power. That number was down from a peak outage of 301,000 on Sun., July 25, when the severe storm hit our area, inflicting significant damage to Pepco’s electric system. A power supply to the WSSC Potomac Plant in Potomac, Maryland has been restored as well as electric service to Shady Grove Hospital. “Pepco crews will continue to work around the clock until power has been restored to all customers. They are being assisted in that effort by utility crews from other states, including our sister utility, Delmarva Power in Delaware, as well as crews from Ohio and Pennsylvania. This is going to be a multiple-day event," Hainey said. Pepco is bringing in crews from outside its service territory to aid in restoring the electric system, which has been heavily damaged by trees and strong winds. Pepco crews continue to assess the damage caused by yesterday’s powerful thunderstorm. All feeders will have to be patrolled prior to any attempt to re-engage power. The damage assessment is essential in guiding the restoration effort. The assessments are providing information on areas of significant work. This restoration effort will take several days. Pepco advises any customers who have special needs, such as special medical equipment, to invoke their emergency plans. Until power is restored, Pepco recommends the following to keep residents safe, food, homes and belongings protected: Keep away from flooded areas and stay indoors. If you experience a power outage, check for electrical damage inside your home, such as frayed wires, sparks or the smell of burning insulation. If you find damage, don’t turn your power on until an electrician inspects your system and makes necessary repairs. Remember, electricity and water is a dangerous combination. Even wading in a shallow puddle or flooded basement that is exposed to an energized line could lead to harmful electrical contact. Keep freezer and refrigerator doors closed; open them only when absolutely necessary. Food will stay frozen for 36 - 48 hours in a fully loaded freezer if you keep the door closed. A half-full freezer will generally keep food frozen for 24 hours. Turn off all appliances, including your furnace, air conditioner, water heater, and water pump. That way, you can avoid a circuit overload and another outage that may result when power is restored to all appliances at once. Pepco strongly encourages customers to make safety a priority. Stay away from downed power lines. All downed lines should be treated as if they are energized, and individuals should not approach them or touch them. To report downed wires and outages, customers are asked to call 1-877-PEPCO-62 (1-877-737-2662). Leave on one lamp so you will know that the power has been restored. For more safety and emergency preparedness tips, log onto the Pepco Storm Center, www.pepco.com.
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