Posts Tagged ‘electricity’

Storm Center: Let’s Turn Up The Heat

Friday, January 28th, 2011

Here we are in another snow storm without electricity for an extended period. Pepco, in particular, ranks at the bottom for response. It has gone from inconvenient to dangerous. Downed wires are not being taken care of. WHW would like to suggest the following so the States & District should show their support and take more responsibility for their residents:

Rebates for generators. Power generators should be affordable for all residents, especially those with younger children, the disabled, and senior citizens over 60.

No politicians should have any affiliations with utility companies.

Rebates should be provided to electric customers who are without service for more than 1 day. This will put the pressure on electric companies to prepare for storms. Pepco did not ask for out-of-state crew help until after the storm started. They need to feel something besides “bad”.

Underground power lines should be a priority. We live with nature and trees grow. Very expensive, but regions that are hardest hit in storms should get them first – and now.

Tired of excuses? Forward this to your friends, to your legislators, to your utility companies to send the message that we need to modernize our power utility companies in our lifetimes to keep the Washington Metro Area strong and safe.

Emergency Power Numbers in our area you may need:
Montgomery County Services dial: 311
Pepco: 1-877-737-2662
Dominion Power: 1-866-366-4357
BGE: 1-877-778-2222
Allegheny: 1-800-255-3443
NOVEC: 1-888-335-0500
SMECO: 1-877-747-6326

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Consumer Awareness, Washington DC Metro Area | Comments Off

Be prepared for power outages

Sunday, August 1st, 2010

Every time you see a storm brewing outside this year,
it will cross your mind…
“am I prepared to handle another power outage?”
Imagine…
  • No heat or air conditioning
  • No well water
  • No home security system
  • Cordless phones – useless
  • Computers, televisions – not working
  • Refrigerated and frozen food – spoiling
  • Pipes – freezing
  • The basement – flooding
  • Coming home to a disaster if the power goes out while you are on vacation or at your second residence
If you can’t see yourself “roughing it” through another power outage without power backup it’s definitely time to look into a generator for your home.
The Washington DC  Metro Area has had 2 long-term power outages (so far) this year. Make sure you’re prepared for next time and say good-bye to unexpected “lights out!” in your home. Generators are more affordable than you think when you add up the time and money you may have lost lately – & Safety is priceless.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Washington DC Metro Area | Comments Off

Storms knock-out Washington DC Metro Area

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

Summer Storm takes out DC area

The hot weather coupled with a quick storm mid-afternoon Sunday, July 25, 2010  has knocked out electricity (along with traffic lights, businesses, cities…) in the Metro DC Area – just when the memory of the blizzard was fading from our memories!

Pepco says about 42,000 customers are still without electricity days after thunderstorms knocked out power for hundreds of thousands. Most of those outages are in Montgomery County.

WHW in Bethesda, MD got electricity at 3:30AM – exactly 2-1/2 days later. Storms happen. Pepco crews are always hard-working and excellent – but isn’t it time we start thinking about burying lines – at least start in heavily wooded areas? There are always trees that come down in our thunderstorms in the older, developed areas. Are we to expect days of outages each storm? Time to plan for the future. There were storm related fires, severe damage, and deaths this time.

The utility says crews expect to have power restored to most customers by Thursday. More than 300,000 Pepco customers in Maryland and the District of Columbia lost power after thunderstorms on Sunday.

Pepco says crews are working around the clock, and 400 workers from outside its service territory have been brought in to help. Thank you for working in sweltering heat and long into the night.

Meanwhile, Baltimore Gas & Electric reports that power has been restored all but about 100 of the more than 120,000 customers who lost service. Dominion Virginia Power says about 200 northern Virginia customers without power, down from 94,000.

Keep up with your area’s POWER OUTAGE REPORTS here:

If you need to contact your electricity company here are the numbers and may we suggest you print these out for late if your power goes out in the future:

Power Outage Tips:

Protecting Your Food

  • Keep freezer and refrigerator doors closed; open them only when absolutely necessary. Food will stay frozen for 36 – 48 hours in a fully loaded freezer if you keep the door closed.
  • A half-full freezer will generally keep food frozen for 24 hours.

Protecting Your Home and Belongings if Your Power is Out

  • Turn off all appliances, including your furnace, air conditioner, water heater, and water pump. That way, you can avoid a circuit overload and another outage that may result when power is restored to all appliances at once.
  • Leave on one lamp so you will know that the power has been restored.

Keep cool, Washington, and enjoy your AC while it lasts!

Tags: ,
Posted in Washington DC Metro Area | Comments Off