ComEd is increasing its staffing and opening its Emergency Operations
Center as of 5 p.m. today, in advance of severe weather expected to
enter its service territory. The storm brings the potential for heavy
rain, lightning and high winds with gusts in excess of 50 miles per
hour. ComEd is preparing field crews and employees to respond to
potential power outages resulting from the forecasted weather.
“We are increasing our staffing levels and have contractor crews on
stand-by, as well, to respond to any interruptions that may result from
these storms,” said Terence R. Donnelly, executive vice president and
chief operating officer for ComEd. “We will continue to monitor the
weather and proactively respond as conditions change.”
ComEd urges customers to contact the utility immediately if they are
experiencing a power outage. Customers can text OUT to 26633 (COMED) to
report their outage and receive restoration information.
ComEd also introduced a mobile app for iPhone and Android® smart phones,
available in the app store for each platform, that gives customers the
ability to report power outages and manage their accounts. In addition,
customers can report outages through the website at ComEd.com or on
ComEd’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/ComEd or by calling 1-800 EDISON1
(1-800-334-7661). Spanish-speaking customers should call 1-800-95-LUCES
(1-800-955-8237).
For outage updates, customers can access ComEd’s mobile-enabled,
interactive outage map now available at ComEd.com/map. The color-coded
map allows customers to easily find information on the location and size
of outages, get estimated power restoration times and crew locations.
Information is updated every 30 minutes. Customers also can follow the
company on Twitter @ComEd or on Facebook at Facebook.com/ComEd to stay
up-to-date on the latest ComEd storm restoration information.
Public safety is paramount during storms, and ComEd encourages the
public to remember to take the following precautions:
-
If you encounter a downed power line, immediately call ComEd at
1-800-EDISON1 (1-800-334-7661) or access our website at ComEd.com and
report the location. Spanish-speaking customers should call
1-800-95-LUCES (1-800-955-8237).
-
Never approach a downed power line. Always assume a power line is
energized and extremely dangerous.
-
Check on elderly and other family members and neighbors to ensure
their safety and make alternate arrangements in the event of an outage.
In 2012, ComEd formed a storm task force and has made more than 60
enhancements to its storm restoration process. These enhancements
included GPS and mobile dispatch technology to more efficiently manage
crews to expedite restoration, a mobile operations center to bring ComEd
closer to customers in hardest hit areas, and more efficient management
of contractor crews. ComEd is continuing to build on these process
improvements, with new areas of focus this year including an enhanced
damage assessment process, better coordination of vegetation management
crews and improved material staging to ensure readiness during severe
weather. Over the past two years, process improvements already in place
have resulted in a 30 percent improvement in restoration time.
Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon
Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive energy
provider, with approximately 6.6 million customers. ComEd provides
service to approximately 3.8 million customers across northern Illinois,
or 70 percent of the state’s population.
Copyright Business Wire 2014