While summer may be weeks away, the region has already experienced sweltering days of intense heat. With that in mind, PECO has been hard at work ensuring the company’s critical electric infrastructure is prepared to handle increased demand as temperatures rise with the changing season.

This work will help to prevent customer outages, modernize the electric grid, and reduce the impact of extreme weather during the summer months. 

Leading up to summer, PECO works to prepare its infrastructure and test processes and procedures to ensure safe and reliable service all season long when energy demand is the highest.This includes completinghundreds of tasks to prepare for warmer weather, such as system work to enhance capacity and prevent outages, training and drills to keep storm response skills sharp, and proactive shift planning to ensure crews are ready to respond to severe summer storms or emergencies.

This work coincides with PECO’s robust inspection and maintenance program to identify and correct any issues before outages occur. Similar efforts contributed to last year’s strong summer reliability performance, helping customers experience fewer outages, even on the hottest days. 

These efforts to prepare and strengthen the grid are part of PECO’s broader commitment to enhancing the safety, reliability, and performance of its electric and natural gas systems. This work includes targeted system upgrades and corrective maintenance, installation of new equipment, routine inspections, and ongoing tree trimming and vegetation management.

Together, these actions help ensure the system can better withstand disruptions while continuing to deliver dependable service. 

“We are always focused on delivering safe, reliable service for our customers, especially during peak seasonal temperatures when they depend on us to keep their homes and businesses comfortable,” said Nicole LeVine, PECO’s Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “At the same time, we understand the impact energy costs can have on families, which is why initiatives like The Exelon Promise with expanded customer assistance programs are so important in helping customers manage their bills.”

The Exelon Promise, part of Exelon’s commitment as PECO’s parent company, is focused on delivering immediate relief, strengthening customer protections, and pursuing solutions that keep energy reliable and costs as low as possible. 

Alongside these efforts, PECO is focused on helping customers prepare for summer storms and manage energy costs. While the company works to prevent outages, severe weather can still cause damage and service interruptions.

Visit PECO for important storm-readiness resources, including how to prepare for an approaching storm, proper use of generators if power is lost, what to expect after storms, and how to stay safe. 

Summer is the time of year when customers use the most energy to cool their homes and businesses, and more usage will drive higher bills. There are many ways customers can use less energy to save money through the hottest days of the year by following a few simple tips:

• Turn it off: Turn off all unnecessary lighting and devices.
• Manage your thermostat: Keep thermostats at a constant, comfortable level when at home and increase by seven degrees when no one is home. Start with an indoor temperature between 75-78 degrees during the day. Install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust your home’s temperature settings when you are away or sleeping.
• Keep shades, blinds, and curtains closed: In the summer, consider closing window coverings to reduce heat gain. For natural light, open those window coverings that don’t get direct sunlight.
• Use ceiling fans to circulate air: Ceiling fans are the most effective type of circulating fan. They help improve comfort year-round by effectively circulating air throughout a room. In summer, run ceiling fans counterclockwise to create a cooling breeze.
• Service your AC: Make sure to replace or clean the air filters for your cooling system at least once a month (or as often as recommended by the manufacturer) and have your system serviced regularly.It can lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5-15 percent.
• Choose energy-efficient products: When buying new cooling equipment, select energy-efficient products. Look for the ENERGY STAR label when purchasing new products.
• Weatherize your home: Reducing the amount of air that leaks in and out of your home is a cost-effective way to reduce cooling costs and increase comfort.
• Use appliances wisely: Run appliances that produce heat (like clothes dryers, ovens, and dishwashers) at night when it is cooler.

Customers can visit PECO to learn how summer weather can impact energy use and bills, access tools to track and manage their account, and explore energy-saving tips and financial assistance options.