How we got PEPCO to Improve our Electrical Service

[jsteele]

There is obviously a lot of justified frustration with PEPCO among our users. A few years ago, our neighborhood was served by the least reliable electrical feeder line in the entire region (according to PEPCO's data). If someone sneezed, we lost power. After Hurricane Isabel, we went several days without power. So, I understand the frustration better than many. But, as a result of PEPCO improvements to our lines, we survived both the snow storm of 2010 (Snowmageddon) and this storm without losing power. Here is what it took to make this happen. Hopefully, some of you can get the same sort of improvements.

First, we organized through our neighborhood association to bring our concerns to PEPCO and our elected officials. Neighborhood residents collected data on even the shortest electrical blip. This data was kept in a spreadsheet so that when we discussed the issue, we could cite time, date, and length of outage. We normally had better data then PEPCO. With the support of our Council Member, we met with PEPCO. At first, these meetings were simply opportunities for PEPCO to tell us how much they shared our pain and to assure us that they wanted to give us better service. But, PEPCO faced a long list of hurdles that sadly, they just couldn't overcome. We were supposed to feel good that they cared. PEPCO planned a list of improvements. Let's call this the low budget approach. They did the bare minimum to show that they were trying.

The low budget approach failed. Luckily for us, our Council Member became chair of the Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs which gave her a lot of influence with PEPCO. She asked them take a more serious approach. Keep in mind that our neighborhood organization had kept the pressure on both her and PEPCO and made sure both were aware that the low budget approach was not satisfactory. So, PEPCO launched a multi-phased approach that involved the following:

1) Replace 1,500 ft. of primary wire
2) Replace 5 poles
3) Replace 20 transformers
4) Replace 13 cross arms
5) Install 3 switches
6) Install 1 recloser
7) Tree trimming

The most important of these -- in my opinion -- was the first. The replacement wire was "hurricane cable" (this is what I remember, I could be wrong about the name). This is well-insulated cable that can withstand squirrels and tree branch strikes and even continue working if the entire cable falls. They repeated this sort of thing for three parts of the feeder, finishing just before Snowmageddon. Our experience then and now is that these improvements resulted in a high level of service.

Everyone seems to think that under grounding the cables is the best solution. Maybe it is, I'm not an expert. But, that seems like a non-starter due to the expense. What I am trying to point out is that PEPCO can take steps short of that to give much better service. However, they don't just step up and do these. They still cost money. PEPCO didn't try the more expensive approach until the low budget approach failed. That seemed like an unnecessary waste of time. I would encourage those of you who are suffering poor service to organize and demand the higher cost solution outlined above. PEPCO will have to be dragged kicking and screaming, but don't take "no" for an answer.

[Anonymous]

I live in Cherrydale, a part of Arlington. We maintained power, and I believe it is because they recently put a stretch of the main line underground. I don't know the origin of the project but I can see that our Citizen's Association has been on their case to get this done for several years now, so I expect it was a project initiated based on their repeated follow-up. I don't expect that they will ever bury the lines that feed each of our streets, but I think the recent work has paid off for us.

[Anonymous]

Very informative post Jeff. So the gist seems to be pay up or shut up, right?

[Anonymous]

So, you are located where? Also, who paid for this?

[Anonymous]

What data did you request that told you you were served by the least reliable feeder? Also, how did you collect neighborhood data?

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:Very informative post Jeff. So the gist seems to be pay up or shut up, right?

No. We didn't pay anything. We refused to shut up until PEPCO provided a working solution.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:So, you are located where? Also, who paid for this?

East of the Park in Ward 4. PEPCO paid.

[Anonymous]

You may not have paid upfront, but ultimately customers end up footing the bill.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:What data did you request that told you you were served by the least reliable feeder? Also, how did you collect neighborhood data?

PEPCO is required to report the least reliable feeders annually to the Public Service Commission. If I remember correctly, PEPCO provided this information to us in one of the early meetings. The PSC has a lot of data about the system's reliability and the PSC staff if often willing to be helpful. Another good source of information and assistance is the People's Council.

Through our neighborhood mailing list, residents were repeatedly asked to call PEPCO about even the shortest outage. PEPCO claimed that it often didn't know about outages unless they were reported. Residents were also asked to keep records of these calls and to document outages. But, one of the best collection tools was a Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) used by one of our neighbors. The UPS was connected to his computer and software on the computer logged every time the UPS lost wall power. His data as well as data from other residents were compiled into a spreadsheet. It was pretty common in meetings for PEPCO to produce a list of a few outages and say, "this is what we recorded for your neighborhood" and then for our side to show a much longer list of outages.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:You may not have paid upfront, but ultimately customers end up footing the bill.

That's probably true. But, what is the alternative? We were losing electricity all of the time, not just during the occasional storm. When power would come back on, it would frequently destroy electronics and appliances. We were paying a high cost in replacing things.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not have paid upfront, but ultimately customers end up footing the bill.

That's probably true. But, what is the alternative? We were losing electricity all of the time, not just during the occasional storm. When power would come back on, it would frequently destroy electronics and appliances. We were paying a high cost in replacing things.

I'm actually all for the necessary improvements. I posted in another thread how my old town voted for a surcharge to have our lines buried. While burying the lines may be extreme, we were willing to do what it took to improve our service (and we had nowhere near the wealth of this area). Instead here in DC, we balk at financing the improvements and scream bloody murder anytime the utility wants to touch a tree.

[Anonymous]

One thing people MUST do is to report their outage. Every day you are without power. These reports are, in part, a way that outages are tracked. And yes, there is an app for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You may not have paid upfront, but ultimately customers end up footing the bill.

I'm not sure I understand the point of your statement. Of course it cost money, nothing is free. Are you complaining as you think you had to foot the bill for the improvements in Jeff's neighborhood?

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not have paid upfront, but ultimately customers end up footing the bill.

That's probably true. But, what is the alternative? We were losing electricity all of the time, not just during the occasional storm. When power would come back on, it would frequently destroy electronics and appliances. We were paying a high cost in replacing things.

Yep. And consumers foot the bill no matter how you slice it. I lost hundreds of dollars worth of food in the freezer this time - and don't get me started on what we've spent on takeout and restaurant meals. Pepco won't pay for any of that - on the contrary, they will charge us for this down-time.

[Anonymous]

You have me tempted to invest in a UPS.