Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Less than 15 customers were without power, as of late Wednesday morning.
A major snowstorm that is predicted to bring up to 8 inches of snow to Montgomery County by Wednesday evening affected few electricity customers Wednesday morning. Pepco's online StormCenter shows that less than 15 customers are without power in Montgomery County. Two homes are without power in the 20815 ZIP code, just east of the intersection of East-West Highway and Beach Drive in Silver Spring. Another cluster of outages were reported in the Kemp Mill neighborhood and in the Four Corners neighborhood of Silver Spring, both with less than five customers affected. Pepco announced that it brought in additional restoration crews from Alabama and Georgia to assist in case power outages are widespread. Heavy, wet snow and high winds can …
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Curse word, curse word, PEPCO, curse word—or, how my family endured the power outage.
I would like to start this column with a sincere hope that you are reading this on a computer plugged into a working outlet in your home and not on a mobile device charged from purloined electricity found in a plug outside a local business. I would like to follow that up with some curse words for PEPCO, but I don't think I'm allowed to do that here. I was watching my twitter stream last Friday night when it started to thunder. I watched the sky flash brightly and read tweet after morose tweet announcing new power outages. Based on the fact that this was a legitimate storm and we tend to lose power in a light breeze, I knew it was just a matter of time until we joined that sad group of the powerless. When our power suddenly blinked out at …
Monday, July 2, 2012
Utility companies in Montgomery County report thousands of outages after Friday's violent storm knocked out electricity for many residents.
Thousands of residents of Colesville, Cloverly, White Oak and Burtonsville remain in the dark Monday. A damaging storm swept through much of the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore areas Friday evening and knocked out power for many residents. Here's an update on outages in East Montgomery County: Update, July 3, 11 a.m.: In the 20904 zip code, Pepco is reporting 2,344 customers affected by power outages. In the 20905 zip code, 1,109 customers affected. In the 20901 zip code, 2,175 customers affected. For BGE customers, about 1,322 homes are out of power. Approximately 7,710 customers have been restored. Update, July 2, 4:46 p.m.: In the 20904 zip code: 2,957 customers remain out, according to Pepco's Stormcenter map. In the 20905 zip code…
We caught up with residents coping with power outages. Do you have power? Add your story in the comments!
After a damaging storm tore through Montgomery County Friday night, leaving a significant percent of the region in the dark, many without power took to Panera on Tech Road to refuel and power up. Cynthia Pace lives near the restaurant in White Oak and her power went out around 10 p.m. on Friday, she told Patch. "I live in a condo, an old building, and it's like a tomb in there," she said. "It's impossible to stay in there without air." She said that she's had to throw food out, pack a bag and camp out at a friend's house. "You're tired because you're not sleeping in your own bed," she said. "You're not working at top speed. We're just kind of limping along and hoping any day now it [power] comes on." Richard Bauman, who lives in Four …
In Four Corners, many stoplights are out and a large shopping center is not open for business Monday.
Looking for a freshly baked treat from The Bagelry? Want to power up at Wheaton or Silver Spring libraries? Headed to Santucci's deli in Four Corners? Check back tomorrow. Due to widespread power outages in Montgomery County following Friday's summer storm, many businesses in greater Silver Spring didn't open Monday. Check out our photos of continued storm damage and add your own!
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Crews are being brought in from Oklahoma and the Carolinas to assist in repairs, Pepco Region President Tom Graham said Sunday.
It may take more than a week to restore power across the region in the wake of Friday's violent storms, Pepco Region President Tom Graham told WTOP Sunday morning. "We're working as quickly and safely as we can for our customers, but it's hard work. … It's very labor intensive," Graham said in an on-air interview. According to Graham, Pepco's early efforts have been focused on assessment and repairing the supply lines that feed the utility's substations. "Now that those have been solidified—and those resources have really been behind the scenes, working on the property, restoring that service—now you'll see a greater presence in the community from those resources," Graham said. Graham also said that the utility was bringing in mutual …
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Follow the chart from the USDA to determine if your food will be safe, plus tips on cooking without power.
Well, your power is out. Or at least, it was out at some point on Friday and Saturday because of the violent storms. What do you do with food in the refrigerator and freezer when your power goes out? The United States Department of Agriculture says to keep meat, poultry, fish and eggs refrigerated at or below 40 degrees. Frozen food should be stored at or below zero degrees. Check out the attached PDF for information on cooking without power. The USDA advises to "keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature." "The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about four hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half …
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Residents describe a tornado-like storm that tore roofs off houses, caused minor injuries.
A sudden storm that officials called a "microburst" -- a violent downward draft of air -- swept through a Bladensburg neighborhood last night, snapping trees, blowing roofs off buildings and leaving residents in the dark and seeking shelter. Looking for real time information about your neighborhood? Sign up for our newsletters, find us on Facebook and Twitter. Residents were told they could go to Bladensburg High School at 4200 57th Ave. for shelter at 2 p.m. Saturday, if they were displaced by the storm. Transportation was being provided by Prince George's County to take those who sought shelter. Officials said the storm hit at 8:07 p.m., damaging some 15 apartment buildings and a single-family home on Newton Street between 52nd and 55th …
Friday, July 8, 2011
Utility had lowest rating among 225 companies.
In its most recent survey, the American Customer Satisfaction Index reported that Pepco had the least satisfied customers among 225 companies nationwide. The annual survey asks consumers about their expectations of a company, the perceived value and quality of the company's services, and their complaints with the company, according to ACSI. Those responses are weighted and used to compute a score on a 1-100 scale. Pepco scored a survey-worst 54, a 23 percent drop from last year's 70. In a statement provided to Patch, Pepco spokesman Clay Anderson was dismissive of the survey results. "We at Pepco know we have work to do, and we're doing it every day," he said. "For us to be distracted by this kind of sensationalism would be …
Friday, February 25, 2011
Wind gusts could get up to 55 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Utility companies in the region told Patch they have increased restoration and tree-trimming crews.
A high wind warning remains in effect until 7 p.m. Friday evening for much of the Washington Metro area. The National Weather Service predicts East Montgomery County will be hit by a northwest wind of 23 to 26 mph. Gusts could reach 55 mph. Later in the evening and into Saturday morning, wind will decrease to about 7 to 10 mph. According to their online map, about 4,608 Pepco customers in Colesville, White Oak , Hillandale and Cloverly are out of power. Colesville's 20904 area code was the hardest hit neighborhood with 1,715 customers affected, Cloverly's 20905 had 1,532 affected and Hillandale's 20901 was at 1,361 customers. Pepco spokesperson Bob Hainey said the company began preparing for the winds Thursday. "We have more than 650 […
Amanda Guyton
10:28 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Every time the power goes out, it reminds me of being in Calcutta. Every time the power went out (several times a day), every home and business would fire up their generators. I remember thinking I should invest in generator companies in India... more ›