Nearly 1,200 System Projects Completed to Enhance Natural Gas and Electric Service for PECO Customers

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

PECO completed nearly 1,200 projects to enhance natural gas and electric service for customers during the third quarter of 2016. Each year, the company invests more than $500 million to enhance its system infrastructure through preventive maintenance and equipment upgrades to ensure safe and reliable energy service for customers.

Through PECO's System 2020 plan, the company is investing an additional $275 million during the next five years to install advanced equipment and reinforce the local electric system, making it more weather resistant and less vulnerable to storm damage.

"Ensuring safe and reliable natural gas and electric service for our customers is our top priority," said Mike Innocenzo, senior vice president and COO. "The work we do day-in and day-out is essential to meeting the energy needs of our customers, and this ongoing, proactive work is essential to improving service for our customers."

PECO completed nearly 1,000 projects to ensure safe and reliable natural gas service for customers. This includes equipment inspections, repairs and replacements, and preventive maintenance on the company's natural gas transmission and distribution system. From July through September, PECO inspected 913 miles of natural gas main, completed more than 3,400 valve inspections and replaced more than 42,000 feet of natural gas main with new pipe, which enhances safety, is more durable and improves service.

PECO also completed more than 200 electric system projects in the third quarter of 2016, including seven System 2020 projects. Specifically, more than 50 corrective and preventive maintenance projects were completed. PECO continued to upgrade and install advanced equipment throughout the region, adding 20 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 1,720 reclosers on PECO's system, which prevented more than 177,000 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 26 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 3,300 miles of aerial electric lines in 2016.

Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation EXC. The company's 2,500 dedicated employees provide advanced, innovative energy solutions to 1.6 million electric and more than 511,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2015 PECO delivered 86.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 38 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. The company also has an estimated annual economic impact of $4.3 billion in Pennsylvania, supporting more than 8,700 local jobs and producing $732 million in labor income. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations. For more information visit PECO.com, and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter.

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