PECO Continues Work to Enhance Electric System Reliability
02 October 2014 - 6:37AM
Business Wire
Ongoing system upgrades to improve service for
customers
From April to July, PECO completed more than 170 projects to
enhance reliability for customers throughout the region. This work
follows more than 200 projects completed during the first quarter
of 2014. Each year, PECO invests approximately $500 million to
improve the electric system infrastructure, including performing
preventive maintenance and upgrading equipment.
Specifically, 88 projects were completed on 25 circuits to
further improve service to customers. These corrective and
preventive maintenance projects were identified through PECO’s
ongoing system monitoring program.
Since April, 14 additional reclosers also have been installed on
aerial lines across the service territory. During the last decade,
PECO has reduced the number and length of power outages through the
use of advanced equipment like reclosers. There are currently more
than 1,580 reclosers installed on PECO’s electric distribution
system across the region. These devices help reduce the number of
outages and improve electric service for customers. Reclosers have
prevented more than 531,144 sustained power interruptions for PECO
customers this year alone.
PECO also continued to upgrade and install new equipment
throughout the region. Since April, PECO upgraded several sections
of underground cable and installed seven new transformers.
To help prevent power outages caused by vegetation, PECO
continues to install reinforced tree-resistant aerial wire. This
specific electric wire is stronger than most aerial wire and can
better withstand falling trees and tree limbs. During the second
quarter, PECO completed the installation of 2,300 feet of this wire
in Montgomery County. Earlier this year, PECO installed
approximately 3,700 feet of tree-resistant wire throughout
Montgomery County. Currently, more than 15 miles of this wire has
been installed across the service territory. An additional 3,800
feet of wire will be installed in targeted suburban areas through
the remainder of 2014.
PECO also continues its rigorous tree trimming program to limit
the amount of power outages caused by trees and other vegetation.
The company invests about $35 million each year on tree pruning and
other vegetation removal around approximately 2,400 miles (of a
total 13,500 miles) of aerial power lines along the PECO electric
distribution and transmission systems.
Additionally, PECO completed wildlife mitigation around several
of its facilities to prevent native animals from damaging PECO
equipment and causing power outages.
“We are committed to continuously monitoring system performance
and identifying areas where we can improve our equipment, which is
crucial to providing customers with safe and reliable service every
day,” said John McDonald, vice president of Technical Services,
PECO.
PECO’s ongoing system enhancement projects contributed to the
company’s record-breaking electric and natural gas reliability
performance in 2013, with customers experiencing the fewest number
of outages in the company’s history, surpassing previous records
set in 2012.
Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas
utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). PECO serves
1.6 million electric and more than 500,000 natural gas customers in
southeastern Pennsylvania and employs about 2,400 people in the
region. PECO delivered 85.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas and
37.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2013. Founded in
1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active
corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial
support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental,
economic development and community programs and organizations. For
more information visit PECO.com, and connect with the company on
Facebook and Twitter.
If you are a member of the media and would like to receive
PECO news releases via email, please send your email address to
PECO.Communication@exeloncorp.com.
PECOGreg Smore, 215-841-5555Greg.Smore@exeloncorp.com
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