Electric System Enhancements Help Keep the Lights on for PECO Customers

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Ongoing electric system upgrades improve service reliability

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- From January through March, PECO completed more than 315 projects to enhance electric reliability for customers across Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia and York counties. Each year, PECO invests approximately $500 million to improve the electric system infrastructure, including performing preventive maintenance and upgrading equipment.

Specifically, 275 maintenance projects were completed as part of PECO’s ongoing system work.

PECO also upgraded and installed new equipment throughout the region, including 12 new advanced aerial reclosers. When a problem occurs, like a fallen tree limb, lightning strike or vehicle accident, the recloser stops the flow of electricity on the line and automatically restores electricity if possible. There are currently more than 1,650 reclosers on PECO’s system, and these devices prevented more than one million sustained power interruptions for PECO customers in 2014.

To help prevent power outages caused by vegetation, PECO also installs reinforced tree-resistant aerial electric lines. These lines are stronger than traditional lines and can better withstand falling trees and tree limbs. In 2014, PECO installed 10,600 feet of this wire. In total, more than 18 miles of this wire has been installed across the service territory with an additional 1,300 feet installed during the first quarter of 2015.

PECO also continues its rigorous tree trimming program to limit the number of power outages caused by trees and other vegetation. In 2015, the company is investing about $36 million on tree pruning and other vegetation removal around approximately 2,800 miles of aerial power lines along the PECO electric distribution and transmission systems.

“These projects are critical to providing our customers with safe and reliable service every day,” said John McDonald, vice president of Technical Services. “We continuously monitor our system performance to identify areas where we can upgrade our equipment or perform preventive maintenance work to deliver the reliable service our customers expect.”

Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). PECO serves 1.6 million electric and more than 506,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania and employs about 2,400 people in the region. PECO delivered 89.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 37.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2014. 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. For more information visit PECO.com, and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter.