September is National Preparedness Month. With severe weather events including hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and wildfires becoming more frequent and intense in recent years, Atlantic City Electric encourages customers to take proactive steps to stay safe now and all year long.
Through year-round maintenance, investments in the energy system, routine inspections and storm-response training, Atlantic City Electric is strengthening reliability and is prepared to respond quickly when severe weather strikes.
Proactive grid modernization work includes transmission line upgrades and substation enhancements, upgrading equipment, building new underground infrastructure, trimming trees and installing stronger, tree-resistant aerial cables.
Atlantic City Electric enhances the local energy grid by installing advanced technologies and specialized equipment, such as smart switches and reclosers, to detect issues, and if there is an outage, restore service faster by automatically isolating damage, further improving reliability for local customers.
These efforts have contributed to South Jersey customers experiencing a 43 percent decrease in outages over the past 10 years.
“Being prepared starts well before severe weather is in the forecast. At Atlantic City Electric, our teams work year-round to strengthen the local energy grid, improve reliability and ensure we are ready to respond when storms affect our communities,” said Rodney Oddoye, chief operating officer for Pepco Holdings, which includes Atlantic City Electric. “We encourage customers to take steps now, from updating their contact information to assembling an emergency kit, so they and their families are ready before severe weather arrives.”
Just as Atlantic City Electric prepares, customers should be ready for whatever Mother Nature has in store. The company offers the following tips to help customers prepare for severe weather and power outages:
Stay connected
Getting up-to-date information has never been easier. To stay in the know about an outage status, estimated restoration time and more, customers can download the Atlantic City Electric app on iOS or Android devices. To stay even more connected, sign up for text alerts by texting “Add Outage” to 20661.
Update contact information
Customers are encouraged to visit the Atlantic City Electric website to ensure the company has the most current contact information in “My Alerts & Notifications.” This is helpful in the event Atlantic City Electric needs to reach customers during an emergency.
Assemble an emergency kit
Customers can act now to prepare for a storm by packing an emergency prep bag with flashlights, fresh batteries, medication, water and a 3-day supply of non-perishable foods.
Storm safety reminders
Visit atlanticcityelectric.com/StormPrep for important storm readiness resources, including how to prepare for an approaching storm, how to properly use generators if power is lost, what to expect after storms and how to stay safe.
