High Winds Can Cause Power Outages, Downed Power Lines

MAYS LANDING, N.J . - According to the National Weather Service, the Atlantic City Electric service territory will experience extreme windy conditions Saturday which could bring down power lines, tree limbs and result in power outages. Company officials are preparing for, and urging customers to prepare for, power outages in the event the windy weather does impact the electric system.

If Power Goes Out

Customers are asked to call Atlantic City Electric at 1-800-833-7476 to report an outage or a downed or damaged power line.

Atlantic City Electric's automated outage reporting system is the most effective way to report an outage because it immediately feeds information into computers that rapidly identify problem areas and dispatch repair crews, so that power can be restored as quickly as possible.

Generally, the power restoration sequence is as follows:

• Downed live wires or potentially life-threatening situations and public health and safety facilities without power;
• Transmission lines serving thousands of customers;
• Substation equipment;
• Main distribution lines serving large numbers of customers;
• Secondary lines serving neighborhoods; then
• Service lines to individual homes and businesses

Atlantic City Electric strongly urges everyone to follow these important safety tips:

• Stay away from downed lines and report them immediately.
• Never attempt to remove trees or limbs from any utility line. Assume all objects touching a power line are energized.
• If using a portable generator during a power outage, always operate it outside. Do not operate a portable generator near doors, windows or in garages to prevent deadly carbon monoxide from entering the house.
• Assemble an emergency storm kit. Include a battery-powered radio or television, flashlight, first-aid kit, battery-powered or windup clock, extra batteries, non-perishable food, manual can opener, bottled water, any necessary medications, and a list of emergency phone numbers.
• Maintain a supply of extra blankets.
• Ensure that all household members have a warm coat, gloves, hat and water-resistant boots.
• Make sure your home has a telephone with a cord or cell phone to use as a backup. Cordless telephones require electricity to operate and won't work if there is an outage.
• Identify a place for emergency shelter in case of an extended outage. It is important that customers with special needs or their caregivers take responsibility to make arrangements ahead of time to prepare for potentially long-lasting service interruptions.

Additional emergency preparedness and safety information may be found at www.atlanticcityelectric.com.

Editor's Note: Follow @ACElecConnect on Twitter for company news alerts and safety and energy-saving tips.

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Atlantic City Electric, a public utility owned by Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM), provides safe, reliable and affordable regulated electric delivery services to more than 547,000 customers in southern New Jersey.