Montgomery Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg’s Statement Before Maryland Public Service Commission

ROCKVILLE, Md., August 30, 2010—Montgomery County Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg today testified at a Maryland Public Service Commission public hearing in Rockville that is part of the PSC’s investigation into the reliability of electricity provider Pepco.

The complete text of Councilmember Trachtenberg’s statement:

Good evening.

Earlier this year, Montgomery County experienced one of the most severe winter storms in years. With that storm, Pepco’s emergency plan and preparedness were tested. However, as our homes went without power for days and we were forced to take refuge in hotels of those fortunate areas that had power, we saw that Pepco’s emergency plan was inadequate. After the storms, we, the Council, met with Pepco and discussed their emergency plan. We concluded that improvements needed to be made. As noted then, this was not the first time Pepco’s emergency response was tested and shown to be inadequate.

This past July, several months since the winter, we experienced other severe storms causing major disruptions to our daily lives. During these instances, Pepco had the opportunity to prove to us—its customers and our constituents—that improvements were made and that they could implement an adequate response. It was an opportunity to restore our faith in the utility company. However, as we know, Pepco failed to meet our expectations. Once again, many of us lost power for days.

I am amazed that Pepco did not take any remedial steps to improve system reliability following the devastating winter storms and other disruptions. This was an important opportunity to assess system weaknesses and to enhance energy security for our County. That there were no ‘lessons learned’ and no remedial steps taken is unexplainable and inexcusable.

The frequency, number and duration of the power outages experienced by customers in the Pepco service area—and the apparent breakdown of adequate communication between the company and its customers during these outage events—is unacceptable. It was unacceptable for Pepco to begin a restoration information hotline days after the July storm that told everyone, regardless of where they lived or the severity of their situation, that a power restoration time would be ‘Friday at 11:59 p.m.’ A ghost ‘restoration time’ was neither the solution nor an adequate means of communicating real priority to consumers.

Frequent and extended interruptions in electric service, as we have experienced, undoubtedly have serious consequences for public safety, public health, business operations and our overall quality of life. As public officials, as community leaders and as concerned neighbors, we must be especially mindful of the dangerous impact that these extended outages have on the elderly, those who rely on their medical equipment, parents with infants and children—as well as our hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities. It should not take a tragic event or public health crisis for Pepco administrators to take action and improve both their emergency response and overall service quality. In my mind, our greatest obligation as public servants, and even as utility providers, is to protect the safety and well-being of our Montgomery County residents—the 305,000 who happen to be Pepco customers.

I hope that Pepco understands the responsibility they must honor in the months and years ahead.

Winter Storm Warning

Issued by The National Weather Service
Baltimore/Washington, MD
2:10 pm EST, Thu., Feb. 4, 2010

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO 10 PM EST SATURDAY.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE... HEAVY SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS... STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 18 TO 24 INCHES.

* TIMING... SNOW WILL BEGIN MID-MORNING FRIDAY... AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING. CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE RAPIDLY FRIDAY AFTERNOON... WITH HEAVIEST SNOWFALL OCCURRING BETWEEN SUNSET FRIDAY TO SUNRISE SATURDAY. THE MOST HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR FRIDAY NIGHT.

* VISIBILITIES... THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO BELOW ONE-QUARTER MILE... PRODUCING NEAR-BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AT TIMES FRIDAY NIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.

* TEMPERATURES... HIGHS IN THE LOWER 30S FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY.

* WINDS... BECOMING NORTHEAST 10 TO 20 MPH FRIDAY WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

CONDITIONS IN THIS STORM ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPARABLE TO THOSE IN THE STORM OF 19 DECEMBER. PLAN FOR SUBSTANTIAL DISRUPTIONS TO TRAVEL FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT.

For delays, closings, and other information in Montgomery County due to the winter storm, click here.
To view the progress of snow removal on your street, click here.