When adverse weather affects our service area, BGE is prepared. If you experience a power outage or need to report a downed wire, please call 877.778.2222. BGE asks all customers, including those with smart meters, to report their outage. Outages may also be reported online, by texting OUT to MYBGE (69243), and via BGE’s free mobile app available today at the Apple Store or GooglePlay. BGE crews work as safely and quickly as possible to restore power.
For Immediate Release
Contact
Justin Mulcahy
justin.mulcahy@bge.com
BALTIMORE (Jan. 21, 2016) – Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) is closely monitoring and making preparations for the possibility of a significant winter storm forecasted to affect the mid-Atlantic region this weekend. BGE has been mobilizing field and support personnel to be ready to respond to any potential service interruptions that may be caused by the possibility of heavy, wet snow and high wind gusts that can bring tree limbs down onto power lines and electric delivery equipment. In addition to the company’s 3,200 employees, BGE has secured approximately 900 additional support contractors—construction and tree personnel.
BGE establishes additional staging areas and regional command centers to supplement restoration efforts from service centers located throughout the region.
“Safety is a priority at BGE and we want our customers to remain safe by preparing for this weekend’s winter storm in the event there are power outages,” said Robert Biagiotti, BGE vice president and chief customer officer. “We also want to remind all customers, including those with smart meters, to report their outages to BGE by calling 1.877.778.2222.”
Outages and downed wires may also be reported at BGE.com and through mobile devices. Customers can find information on preparing for winter weather and other emergency events at the storm center on BGE.com, as well as storm preparation information and restoration progress via BGE’s social media sites Twitter and Facebook.
We thank our customers in advance for taking the time to prepare their homes and families and BGE will work to keep customers updated through the company’s website, local media, social media channels. BGE will also update customers who have signed up through their online accounts for phone, text or email alerts.
Customers with special needs, such as those who may be elderly, disabled or dependent on electricity for medical equipment, should have alternate arrangements in place should they experience an extended power outage.
Customers 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. Customers using a generator or space heater should follow manufacturer instructions and be sure to locate generators outside, in well-ventilated areas.
BGE's restoration priorities are public safety issues and critical facilities, such as 911centers, hospitals and pumping stations. Then restoration is generally scheduled so that the greatest number of customers can be restored as quickly and as safely as possible. However, in cases of extended power outages, consideration is also given to customers who have been without service for the longest. Clearing fallen tree debris, snow-blocked roads, and safety limitations on use of bucket trucks during periods of sustained winds of 25 miles per hour, can be factors in restoration progress.
BGE requests that customers identify the location of outside utility equipment such as natural gas or electric meters that could be covered in snow and may be susceptible to damage from snow shovels and mechanized snow removal equipment. Please keep outside meters clear of ice and snow. Use a broom or brush to gently clear the area around the meter of anything blocking it, including debris, ice and snow. Do not melt ice or snow on meters with a heat source, and do not chip or scrape ice. These methods can damage or break the meter. It is also important to remove icicles that hang over the meter and can drip freezing water that may damage equipment.
BGE encourages its customers and employees to proactively prepare for severe weather and the possibility of power outages by:
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BGE, headquartered in Baltimore, is Maryland’s largest natural gas and electric utility, delivering power to more than 1.25 million electric customers and more than 650,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland. The company’s approximately 3,200 employees are committed to the safe and reliable delivery of natural 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 2014 revenues of approximately $27.4 billion. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.