Infrastructure update: PECO is Prepared for Summer Heat and Storms

Summer is almost here and while it brings fun in the sun, it also can bring extreme heat and severe storms. PECO has been hard at work to ensure our electric infrastructure is prepared to handle increased demand during the hotter summer months and prevent outages caused by severe summer storms.

These preparations include testing systems, processes, and procedures to respond to severe weather, and completing projects and initiatives across the region to ensure there is enough electricity to keep customers’ fans and air conditioners humming all summer long.

Just as we prepare for summer, customers should prepare too. PECO offers important storm readiness resources, including how to prepare for an approaching storm, how to properly use generators if power is out, what to expect after storms, and how to stay safe. Customers can act now to prepare for severe weather by visiting peco.com/storm.

In addition, summer is the time of year when customers use the most energy to cool their homes and businesses, and more usage will drive higher bills. There are many ways customers can use less energy to save money during sweltering summer heat by following a few simple tips:

• Turn it off: Turn off all unnecessary lighting and devices.
• Manage your thermostat: Keep thermostats at a constant, comfortable level when at home and increase by 7 degrees when no one is home. Start with an indoor temperature between 75-78 degrees during the day. Install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust your home’s temperature settings when you are away or sleeping.
• Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed: In the summer, consider closing window coverings to reduce heat gain. For natural light, open those window coverings that don’t get direct sunlight.
• Use ceiling fans to circulate air: Ceiling fans are the most effective type of circulating fan. They help improve comfort year-round by effectively circulating air throughout a room. In summer, run ceiling fans counterclockwise to create a cooling breeze.
• Service your AC: Make sure to replace or clean the air filters for your cooling system at least once a month (or as often as recommended by the manufacturer) and have your system serviced regularly.It can lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5-15 percent.
• Choose Energy-Efficient Products: When buying new cooling equipment, select energy-efficient products. Look for the ENERGY STAR label when purchasing new products.
• Weatherize Your Home: Reducing the amount of air that leaks in and out of your home is a cost-effective way to reduce cooling costs and increase comfort.
• Use appliances wisely: Run appliances that produce heat (like clothes dryers, ovens, and dishwashers) at night when it is cooler.

Additionally, supply charges for both electric and natural gas are adjusting on June 1. As a reminder, the supply charge makes up about half of your total bill and can be purchased through a competitive supplier.

For customers not purchasing their electricity or natural gas from a competitive supplier, these costs are passed along directly to customers at exactly the cost that PECO pays. In addition, PECO works hard to control costs, reduce price volatility, and purchase electricity and natural gas at the lowest price possible for customers. 

With this additional seasonal usage and changes to rates, customer bills may increase. We want to make sure customers understand what is impacting their bill and all the resources available to help lower energy usage.  

Customers can learn more about their bill and changing supply charge, how to track usage, and explore energy efficiency and assistance programs at peco.com/BillSupport.