Do you think Pepco prioritizes "nicer", wealthier neighborhoods?

[Anonymous]

Curious what others thoughts are on this - and their experiences. Obviously, my experience is anecdotal. I live in Silver Spring, near the Wheaton line, in an area that is middle/working class. Not only does our power seem to go out with the slightest breeze, but it consistently takes days (4, 5, 6 days) to restore our power, while friends and family in wealthier parts of the area (nicer parts of Silver Spring, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Kensington) have thier power restored much, much earlier. Latest case in point is that we've been out of power since Friday night and Pepco hasn't even identified the issue affecting our area - according to their web site. No downed trees or lines in the 10 block radius that DH and I explored today. We haven't seen anyone from Pepco in the area, nor have neighbors (we're all pretty desperate). Meanwhile, my parent's neighborhood about two miles away in a nicer part of Silver Spring got their power back by 5 PM yesterday. My mom saw Pepco trucks in the neighborhood at 7 am Saturday morning. If this were a one-off thing, it wouldn't bother me or strike me as wierd, but this scenario has happened dozens (literally) of times over the past six years that we've lived here.

Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

East silver spring. No power. I don't know that pepco prioritized the rich. Don't live in those areas, have no idea. However, I'm probably in a "nicer area" of silver spring by your calculus and we're out of power.

[Anonymous]

We have friends -- two sets of couples - who live in "nice" neighborhoods. They're always almost the last to get their power back. I think it's more to do with the fact that they live on "nice" quiet streets that the emergency vehicles aren't going to need.

[Anonymous]

Low end area of Gaithersburg and we usually (knock wood) get power back in 24 to 36 hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:East silver spring. No power. I don't know that pepco prioritized the rich. Don't live in those areas, have no idea. However, I'm probably in a "nicer area" of silver spring by your calculus and we're out of power.

Where is East SS?

We live in Colesville and got power back last night. My mom, who's in the same zip - 20904, still has no power. I'd say her 'hood is a bit nicer than ours.

[Anonymous]

I live in Potomac, still no power. During one of the recent outages, I recall our power coming back in a little over 24 hours and nicer areas of Potomac as well as parts of CC and Bethesda were out for almost a week.

[Anonymous]

I'm in ccmd albeit in the 'low rent' section. No power since Friday, no sign of pepco, no word on expected resumption of power. I have had the same theory as the op in the past but the past few outages have hit our friends in the super posh hoods that are 5 mins from us at least as hard or even harder. What puzzles me about this one is that sooooo many traffic signals on conn ave and other main roads are still out. Ok I'm also bothered that there are a gazillion tree trucks but not a single pepco van

[Anonymous]

Yes. You will never organize enough to complain enough to anybody who cares and can do something about it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:East silver spring. No power. I don't know that pepco prioritized the rich. Don't live in those areas, have no idea. However, I'm probably in a "nicer area" of silver spring by your calculus and we're out of power.

Where is East SS?

We live in Colesville and got power back last night. My mom, who's in the same zip - 20904, still has no power. I'd say her 'hood is a bit nicer than ours.

East of downtown towards takoma park.

[Anonymous]

I live in potomac. We are ALWAYS out a week.

[Anonymous]

Also out in Potomac. Grew up in Chevy Chase and lost power all the time. So no but good luck looking for a fight.

[Anonymous]

I was an engineering intern at a utility years ago, but during big storms they would have all employees working odd jobs. After emergency personnel are restored, the highest priorities are typically areas where they can restore the highest number of customers at one time. Good luck OP, but no utilities don't prioritize based on income.

[Anonymous]

NW DC. Our street is always the last to get power, snow plow .... whatever. The funny thing this time is that one house on our block has power, and the rest don't.

[Anonymous]

Are the Wooten pkwy and falls road (Potomac) area people still out?

[Anonymous]

I wish!! We are in an expensive part of Bethesda and have been out for a week multiple times in the last few years. Oddly enough we have power now but blocks around us don't so no income link there. Sorry op.