PECO completed more than 1,800 projects to enhance natural gas and electric service for customers during the third quarter of 2017. These system enhancement projects are part of the company’s efforts to provide customers with safe and reliable energy services. The company invests more than $500 million each year to enhance its system infrastructure through preventive maintenance and equipment upgrades.
Through PECO’s System 2020 plan, the company is investing an additional $274 million through 2020 to install advanced equipment and reinforce the local electric system, making it more weather resistant and less vulnerable to storm damage.
"We work year-round to ensure safe and reliable natural gas and electric service for our customers by proactively monitoring our systems and identifying opportunities for improvement," said Mike Innocenzo, senior vice president and COO. "Through these ongoing system investment initiatives, we continue to enhance our service to meet the energy needs of our customers."
PECO completed more than 120 electric system projects in the third quarter of 2017, including five System 2020 projects. Specifically, more than 34 corrective and preventive maintenance projects were completed. PECO continued to upgrade and install advanced equipment throughout the region, adding 35 new aerial devices called reclosers to its distribution system. 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. There are more than 1,780 reclosers on PECO’s system, which prevented more than 202,774 sustained power interruptions for PECO customers during the third quarter of this year.
To help prevent power outages caused by vegetation, PECO also installs reinforced tree-resistant aerial electric lines. These lines are stronger than traditional lines and can better withstand falling trees and tree limbs. PECO now has more than 43 miles installed across the service territory. Rigorous tree trimming also continues to limit the number of power outages caused by trees and other vegetation. As part of this work, PECO will invest about $41 million in vegetation management work around 3,400 miles of aerial electric lines in 2017.
