Delmarva Power Ready Ahead of Tropical Storm Isaias

Company increases resources to respond; provides tips for customers to prepare and stay safe

With Tropical Storm Isaias making its way up the eastern seaboard, Delmarva Power’s full emergency response organization is ready. Employees and local contractors have inspected equipment, reviewed procedures, and assembled staffing plans to ensure around-the-clock support to respond to potential impacts from the storm.

Delmarva Power is closely monitoring the path of Tropical Storm Isaias, which is expected to cause damage to the local energy grid and result in power outages for customers. The company has been preparing for this event since last week and has enhanced staffing plans to ensure necessary resources are available to respond for customers. The company has increased staffing of lineworkers and tree-trimming personnel, as well as additional customer care representatives to handle customer emergency and outage calls.

Crews from Delmarva Power’s sister Exelon company, ComEd in Chicago, also are traveling east to support the restoration effort. In addition, the company has secured additional mutual assistance from companies in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, and Canada. Based on the impacts of Tropical Storm Isaias, Delmarva Power also can secure resources from other nearby companies in the Exelon family, including Atlantic City Electric, BGE, PECO, and Pepco. Additional personnel will assist the company’s efforts to restore service for customers safely and efficiently and will have a high degree of situational awareness regarding safe work conditions and actions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Delmarva Power is taking the appropriate steps to prepare for this severe weather, while also ensuring the health and safety of employees and customers during the pandemic. The company will ensure all personnel, as well as the personnel from other companies supporting Delmarva Power, are abiding by all CDC and state government executive orders on social distancing and personal hygiene guidelines in the field and while on rest. To ensure the safety of employees and customers while restoration work is being completed, customers are asked to please practice social distancing with crews as they work to restore service.

Just like Delmarva Power prepares for damage that may occur, customers are strongly encouraged to prepare for severe weather.

Preparation Tips:

• Have a supply of bottled water and easy-to-prepare, non-perishable foods available.
• Charge cell phones and other mobile devices. Consider backup chargers.
• Have a flashlight with fresh batteries on each floor of your home.
• More tips available at delmarva.com/storm.

Safety Tips:

• Always stay away from any storm damaged electrical equipment, especially downed power lines and tree limbs that may come into contact with power lines.
• Check on elderly neighbors and relatives.
• Don't connect your generator directly to your home's wiring. Never use a generator indoors or in an attached garage. Read and adhere to the manufacturer's instructions for safe operation.

To report an outage or downed wire, customers should call 800-898-8042 or customers can report and track their outage through the company’s mobile app or website at delmarva.com. The company’s interactive outage map also provides information about outages across the company’s system and gives an estimate of how quickly power is expected to be restored. 

As part of its own preparation efforts ahead of hurricane season, Delmarva Power works to modernize the local energy grid and harden its system against severe weather. This work includes inspecting existing infrastructure, replacing aging infrastructure, trimming trees that could potentially impact the system, building new underground equipment, and installing smart technology that can automatically restore service more quickly or isolate damage.