A Message from Delmarva Power
Date Posted: Tuesday, November 26th, 2024Dear Community, Emergency Management & Governmental Partners:
With winter on the way, Delmarva Power has taken steps to prepare the local energy grid to meet increased customer demand and help ensure affordable and reliable energy service all winter long. Crews perform maintenance and inspections to prepare the grid for severe weather and increased customer demand including inspecting and upgrading equipment, trimming trees, building new underground equipment, and installing stronger, tree-resistant aerial cable. We are also installing innovative technologies to improve system reliability, such as specialized equipment that can automatically restore service faster or isolate damage.
We also recognize our responsibility to serve customers by working to keep bills as low as possible. Delmarva Power is making it easier for customers to connect to a wide range of assistance programs with the colder winter temperatures approaching. The company’s new Assistance Finder tool can help customers discover the best programs that fit their needs, including financial assistance, bill management, and energy efficiency and savings information. We are committed to keeping every customer connected with extended payment arrangements and working to help them secure important energy assistance. We care about our customers and have a wide range of payment options we can offer customers based on their individual account and household income. Customers can also avoid seasonal peaks in their energy bill by dividing their payments evenly over the course of the entire year. This plan makes it easier to budget and pay electric bills each month, because customers know their regular payment amount. Many of these arrangements can be made quickly and easily by calling 800-375-7117 or by visiting our website at delmarva.com/EnergyAssistanceDE. Here, our customers can learn about all the essential programs we have to help.
Every day, we are committed to providing safe, reliable and clean energy service, while helping to maintain affordability for our customers and communities. Customers across the service area are continuing to experience improvements in the reliability of their energy service, a result of the company’s ongoing efforts to modernize the local energy grid. Delmarva Power customers experienced the lowest frequency of electric outages ever in 2023 decreasing from the previous record low in 2022 and improving by 54 percent over the past 10 years.
Delmarva Power’s proactive investments strengthen the grid against increasingly frequent and impactful weather events as the result of climate change and supports efforts to enable clean energy resources like solar and electric vehicles. In 2024, key projects to further reliability and resiliency include:
- Carrcroft to Silverside Reliability Project – Part of our broader strategic effort to strengthen and modernize the energy grid across our service area. The project includes rebuilding more than 1.4 miles of existing transmission line with new state-of-the-art steel poles and modern equipment. These more reliable structures are designed to withstand severe weather conditions and will enhance service reliability to more than 6,000 customers in New Castle County.
- Vienna to West Cambridge Reliability Project – A critical modernization project that includes rebuilding nearly 20 miles of existing transmission line to strengthen the local energy grid and enhance service reliability for nearly 12,000 local customers in Dorchester County.
Along with our focus on providing reliable service, we also conduct annual emergency response drills and complete testing of computer and emergency systems as part of our winter preparedness program. Employees from across the company review emergency processes and procedures to help ensure a safe and efficient response to storms or emergencies. As part of the Exelon family of companies, we share best practices with our sister companies (Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, PECO and Pepco) and participate in emergency response training exercises to ensure we can provide seamless support and resources during a storm or emergency restoration effort. This practice of collaborating and sharing resources demonstrates the benefits of being part of the Exelon family of companies.
Being prepared is a responsibility that we take very seriously, and we encourage others to do the same. Please help us spread the word in your community about the steps that can be taken to prepare for a winter storm.
- Assemble an emergency storm kit.
- Prepare a plan for what to do during a power outage or winter storm.
- Please confirm we have your current phone number in the “My Alerts and Notifications” section of our website: Delmarva.com/MyAccount.
- Visit delmarva.com/mobileapp to download our mobile app, which has many resources to keep you informed during a storm.
- More tips, resources and safety information are available at delmarva.com/StormPrep.
If a severe storm hits, we monitor local weather reports regularly and follow the advice of local emergency management officials. We follow a strategic response plan to restore service to the greatest number of customers first and will work to restore service in your community safely and as quickly as possible. To learn more about our restoration process, visit delmarva.com/Restoration.
Customers are asked to immediately report a downed wire or service issue by calling 1-800-898-8042, visiting delmarva.com or through our mobile app. Delmarva Power customers can also text “Out” to “67972”. Customers must first text “ADD OUTAGE” to “67972” to sign up for this service. By taking a few simple steps, together we can be ready and stay safe, warm and dry this winter.
Sincerely,
Jim Smith
External Affairs Manager
Delmarva Power
