BGE Update on Power Restoration: Monday, July 2

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Rob.Gould@bge.com

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Baltimore Gas and Electric Company Restores Electric Service to

More than 60 Percent of Customers;

Utility exercising balanced approach to restoring service

Customers should continue to report outages and downed wires by calling 1-877-778-2222 - but should only report their outage once

Out-of-state utility workers from fifteen states and Canada are providing mutual assistance

BALTIMORE, July 2, 2012 – Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) today announced that as of 7 a.m., it has restored service to 63 percent of its customers, or nearly 410,000, who lost power since Friday evening’s damaging weather system. BGE expects restoration activities to continue into the coming weekend.

More than 2,600 utility workers, including more than 1,400 BGE personnel and nearly 1,200 outof-state utility workers, are either actively restoring power, or are en route to central Maryland. The outof-state crews are coming from as far away as Canada (Quebec), New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania,Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Florida.BGE’s sister utility, PECO, an Exelon Company based in Philadelphia, is also providing support to thecompany’s restoration effort. Customers are reminded to stay informed of restoration progress viabge.com, Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

“While BGE and our out-of-state utility partners continue to make progress, it is important that ourcustomers, who we know are growing weary without power, understand we approach restoration in a balanced fashion to ensure field personnel are addressing outages in each and every county and city where BGE has customers,” said Jeannette M. Mills, vice president and chief customer officer for BGE. 

"BGE works very closely with state and local emergency management agencies and communicates with local and state elected officials to ensure they stay informed of BGE’s progress. BGE will spare no effort or expense in its round-the-clock restoration activities.”

BGE’s strategic plan for restoring electric service prioritizes outages affecting public safety and critical infrastructure in all parts of its service area, however, the backbone of the utility’s electric distribution system, its 33 kilovolt (kV) power lines, which supply power to substations, sustained significant damage. Those lines must be repaired or replaced before any of the equipment downstream can be repaired. As a result, outage durations have been extended for some customers. Given the scope and magnitude of the damage we’re seeing thus far, we fully anticipate restoration activities to extend into the coming weekend. 

BGE’s system has sustained significant damage similar to what one would expect to see during a hurricane or tropical storm, including downed tree limbs and whole trees on power lines and other electric distribution equipment. At the same time, BGE is monitoring additional severe weather throughout the next several days which could result in further power outages.

“While there is no need for customers to report an outage more than once, customers who experience new outages or see downed wires should report them by calling 1-877-778-2222,” said Mills. “As important is the need for our customers to avoid downed power lines, which are still prevalent and can appear de-energized. In that instance, customers should call BGE to report the downed wire itself and stay clear of the wires. BGE thanks its customers for their patience and understanding.”

To date, BGE’s call center has already handled more than 764,000 calls and continues to operate at a heightened staffing level with more than 200 representatives actively engaged in storm response.The company also continues to closely monitor its electric grid to maintain the reliable delivery of electric service while minimizing impacts on its customers, as this weekend brought consecutive days of extreme weather to central Maryland. BGE encourages all customers to prepare for power outages by visiting bge.com, where they will find information on preparing for storms, as well as information to help customers conserve energy and alleviate the impact of extreme temperatures on their energy bills.

As a reminder, BGE customers who may be elderly, handicapped or dependent on electricity for medical equipment, should always have alternate arrangements in place should they experience an extended power outage. Customers using a generator should follow manufacturer instructions and be sure to locate generators in well-ventilated areas. For more information about BGE storm preparation and how customers can protect their families and property, go to bge.com.

Just as BGE prepares for severe weather and the possibility of power outages, customers should take steps to ensure the safety of their families and property during electric service interruptions. Customers should keep the following items readily available:

• Flashlights – not candles
• Fresh batteries
• Battery operated clock radio
• Corded telephone
• Fully charged cell phone
• Non-perishable foods

Customers also should consider filling the fuel tanks of their vehicles in the event a power outage affects service to neighborhood gas stations. For customers who rely on well water, filling a bathtub with water in advance of severe weather is strongly encouraged.

In addition to monitoring current and approaching weather conditions which could result in service interruptions, BGE regularly conducts emergency training drills during which all aspects of storm related service restoration are tested. BGE also reviews its Electric Delivery Emergency Response Plan to ensure that storm response procedures are up-to-date and in line with industry standards.

BGE, headquartered in Baltimore, is Maryland’s largest gas and electric utility, delivering power to more than 1.2 million electric customers and more than 650,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland. The company’s approximately 3,400 employees are committed to the safe and reliable delivery of gas and electricity, as well as enhanced energy management, conservation, environmental stewardship and community assistance. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive energy provider with approximately $33 billion in annual revenues. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.