August 11 (8/11) is National Call Before You Dig Day 

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BALTIMORE (Aug. 9, 2019) – This Sunday, 8/11, serves as a reminder for all customers and contractors to call 811 before digging so utility-owned underground lines can be identified and marked. While incidents of damage to BGE's natural gas system have been reduced by 30 percent since 2006, making the company one of the leading natural gas utilities for reduced damages, an underground utility line is damaged every six minutes nationwide.

In partnership with the Common Ground Alliance, the national association that promotes the 811phone number and safe digging practices, BGE reminds everyone that striking an underground electric or natural gas line can cause serious injury, damages and service interruptions.

Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a call to 811. Installing a mailbox, building a deck, planting a tree and laying a patio are all examples of projects for which calling 811 prior to digging is appropriate.

BGE has more than 17,000 circuit miles of underground electric lines -- 65 percent of the electric distribution system. Additionally, there are nearly 14,000 miles of BGE natural gas distribution and service lines throughout central Maryland. In addition to BGE's lines, there are underground communications cables, water and sewer lines, and other utilities.  

When calling 811, customers and contractors are connected to Miss Utility, the local one-call center, which notifies BGE and other utilities of the intent to dig at a location. The utilities' professional locators then mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both at digging sites. Once lines are located, customers and contractors must understand the markings and look for evidence of unmarked lines, such as water and sewer lines on private property. Sewer clean-outs and water valve covers are examples of equipment that can indicate the presence of underground lines. After lines are marked, customers and contractors must proceed carefully. Hand dig with caution and never use mechanized equipment near marked utilities.

BGE joins the Exelon family of utilities in recognizing National Call Before You Dig Day and as a member of the Common Ground Alliance, shares best practices to promote safe excavation and decrease instances of damage to underground lines. The company also provides customers and local contractors with important information about safety around overhead and underground utility lines through mailings, customer newsletters, social media and print advertising. To learn more, visit www.bge.com/811. To access training videos and other free materials, visit BGE's Damage Prevention and Safety Training site.

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BGE, founded in 1816 as the nation's first gas utility and headquartered in Baltimore, is Maryland's largest natural gas and electric utility. The company's approximately 3,200 employees are committed to safe and reliable energy delivery to more than 1.25 million electric customers and more than 650,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland.  In the J.D. Power 2017 and 2018 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study ^SM  BGE was ranked Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Business Electric Service in the East among Large Utilities. In addition, in the J.D. Power 2018 Gas Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study ^SM   BGE received Best in Customer Satisfaction with Business Natural Gas Service in the East. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's leading competitive energy provider. Connect with BGE on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, and engage with the latest BGE stories on bgenow.com.

Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (or "BGE") received the highest score in the East Large segment of the 2018 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study and the East Region of the 2018 Gas Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study of electric and gas utility customer satisfaction among business customers. Visit jdpower.com/awards.