Credit: PA Internet News Service
PECO is sending crews and equipment as Puerto Rico continues to repair its electric system following the devastation of hurricanes Irma and Maria.
PECO joins with its Exelon sister utilities – Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power and Pepco – in repairing infrastructure destroyed during the hurricanes in September 2017.
Sixteen lineworkers along with additional support personnel are expected to depart for the island in mid-February.
“Electricity is a vital part of life and the residents of Puerto Rico have been without for so long,” said PECO Senior Vice President and COO Mike Innocenzo. “We are so proud of our employees who are answering this call to help restore power to those in need.”
The support from PECO comes after Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and other power industry groups received a request for mainland companies to provide assistance. Exelon is sending approximately 140 utility workers as part of the industry response, bringing to nearly 1,500, the number of restoration personnel from EEI member companies. With these additional crews, including the Exelon team, the total number of power restoration workers will increase to more than 5,500, utility officials said.
According to FEMA, portions of Puerto Rico are still without power and the financial district San Juan, the largest city, still had about 17 percent of customers in the dark as of mid-January.
PECO and its employees, along with the Exelon Foundation, also contributed more than $800,000 to disaster relief efforts.
