PECO Continues Work to Enhance Electric System Reliability
December 15 2014 - 9:48AM
Business Wire
Ongoing system upgrades improve service for
customers
From August to October, PECO completed more than 175 projects to
enhance electric reliability for customers across Bucks, Chester,
Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. This work is in
addition to more than 370 projects completed during the first half
of 2014. Each year, PECO invests approximately $500 million to
improve the electric system infrastructure, including performing
preventive maintenance and upgrading equipment.
Specifically, 85 projects were completed on 37 circuits to
further improve service to customers. These corrective and
preventive maintenance projects were identified through PECO’s
ongoing system monitoring program.
Since July, 29 additional reclosers have been installed on
aerial lines across the region, increasing the total number of
devices on PECO’s system to more than 1,600. When a problem occurs,
like a fallen tree limb, lightning strike or vehicle accident, the
recloser stops the flow of electricity on the line, and
automatically restores electricity if possible. Reclosers have
prevented more than 875,000 sustained power interruptions for PECO
customers this year alone.
PECO also continued to upgrade and install new equipment
throughout the region. Since July, PECO upgraded more than two
miles of underground cable, installed eight new transformers and
added new sectionalizing devices that help to isolate issues that
cause outages so service can be restored more quickly.
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 third
quarter, PECO completed the installation of 4,600 feet of this wire
in Montgomery County. Earlier this year, PECO installed
approximately 6,000 feet of tree-resistant wire throughout
Montgomery County. Currently, more than 17 miles of this wire has
been installed across the service territory. Additional wire is
planned for installation in targeted suburban areas in 2015.
PECO also continues its rigorous tree trimming program to limit
the number 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 upgrade our equipment and
perform preventive maintenance work, which is critical to providing
customers with safe and reliable service every day,” said John
McDonald, vice president of Technical Services.
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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