Winter-Ready PECO Says It Invested in Utility Upgrades

PHILADELPHIA PA – With colder weather setting in, electric and natural gas provider PECO Energy says it is continuing work to ensure winter-long safe and reliable service for customers.

Its current efforts, PECO says, are focused on meeting what it anticipates will be increased demand for both forms of energy. It also is investing in pipeline safety projects, it adds.

PECO reports it serves nearly 500,000 customers within its natural gas territory, which includes most of Montgomery County (with the exceptions of Salford, Douglass, and Lower Hanover townships); and all of Chester County. Its electricity territory covers about 1.6 million customers, including those in municipalities across most of both counties.

PECO is a subsidiary of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation.

The company estimates it is investing nearly $90 million the company in its natural gas system this year. So far, it says, the utility has completed 14 projects to replace more than 13,000 feet of underground gas main to meet growth needs.

Swapping Out Materials in Gas Lines

Additionally, the company says, it completed 194 projects to replace more than 158,000 feet of existing gas line with new plastic gas main and service line. The change, it notes, “enhances safety, is more durable, and improves reliability.”

PECO hopes customers prepare their own home systems for winter as well.

Before overnight temperatures begin to routinely dip into the 30-degree range, PECO reminds customers to turn on and test their heating systems. It encourages customers to schedule a service call for their heater if the system hasn’t been inspected and cleaned by a qualified service technician in the past two years.

To further winterize their homes, PECO suggests its residential customers can:

• Clean air vents around the house;
• Install storm windows and doors;
• Check and freshen weather stripping and caulking around windows and doors; and
• Install sealers behind electrical outlets.

PECO truck photo by Travels With The Post
Gas stove photo by Henrique Malaguti on Unsplash, used by Travels With The Post under license