BALTIMORE (Dec. 21, 2022) — BGE is closely monitoring the weather and preparing for wind, rain, and snow followed by freezing temperatures forecast to impact Maryland from Thursday through the holiday weekend.

"In advance of what could be among the coldest days we experience in central Maryland this winter, we are taking steps to ensure BGE crews are prepared to respond to any outages as quickly and safely as possible," said Derrick Dickens, senior vice president and chief operating officer of BGE. "We remain committed to providing our customers with safe and reliable energy service—and we recognize that same, premier level of service will be even more important during a holiday weekend with expected extreme weather." 

BGE will have additional company crews and forestry crews, along with external crews, ready to work the system for the duration of the weather event. The BGE storm center is mobilizing on Thursday.

Customers are also encouraged to prepare ahead of time, and to report outages if they occur.

How customers can report outages
Storm conditions could cause outages by knocking down tree limbs onto power lines and other electric delivery equipment. BGE asks all customers to report their outage in any of the following ways:

• Online, at BGE.com
• BGE's free mobile app, available at the Apple Store or Google Play
• Text message, to 69243
• Phone, by calling 877-778-2222
  

These reporting services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To sign up for email and text notifications, visit BGE.com/alerts.

Service restoration priorities
BGE's first restoration priority is public safety and critical facilities, such as 911 centers, hospitals, and pumping stations. Restoration is then generally scheduled so that the greatest number of customers can be restored as quickly and as safely as possible.

In cases of extended power outages, consideration is also given to customers who have special needs. However, it is still critically important for customers with special needs—such as those who may be elderly, disabled, or dependent on electricity for medical equipment—to have alternate arrangements in place ahead of severe weather.

Downed power lines: reporting and safety
As a reminder, fallen overhead power lines should never be approached or touched even if the lines do not appear to be live or sparking. Immediately call BGE at 877-778-2222 to report the downed wire. If an overhead wire falls across your vehicle while you are driving, stay inside the vehicle and continue to drive away from the line. If the engine stalls, do not leave your vehicle, and warn others not to touch the vehicle or the wire. Call emergency services immediately.

Prevent utility meter damage
As an additional step to help ensure their safety, customers should identify the location of outside utility equipment such as natural gas or electric meters that could be covered in snow and may be damaged during snow removal. Please use a broom or brush to gently clear the area around meters 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. It is also important to remove icicles that hang over the meter.