PECO Customers See Fewer Outages as Years of Grid Investments Strengthen Reliability   

This summer tested the region’s energy grid with sustained heat, severe storms and large-scale Philadelphia events that drew more than one million visitors and increased demand across southeastern Pennsylvania. Even with those challenges, our customers experienced fewer power interruptions than in previous years. That performance reflects our year-round work to strengthen the electric grid by replacing aging equipment, upgrading substations and transmission lines, managing vegetation, and using advanced technology to prevent outages and restore service more quickly when they occur. 

That preparation was crucial this summer, as extreme heat pushed customer demand to a seasonal peak of 8,438 megawatts on July 2. At the same time, we supported a busy summer in Philadelphia that included major events and nearly 1.4 million visitors. 

Technology also helped keep customers connected. 

This summer, reclosers helped us prevent more than 435,000 customer outages across our service area. These devices can automatically restore service or isolate a damaged section of the electric system, sometimes resolving an issue before customers experience an interruption. 

Smart meters played a role, too. They helped us avoid more than 16,000 unnecessary crew dispatches by remotely confirming when service had been restored. That meant our crews could spend more time focused on customers who were still without power. 

When storms do cause damage, trimming or removing fallen trees remains critical to restoration. Our crews completed more than 1,800 assignments to clear vegetation throughout the summer season.   

Together, these efforts are helping us build a stronger, more resilient energy system. In its review of 2025 electric service reliability, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission recognized us as the only large electric distribution company in Pennsylvania to consistently meet all major reliability benchmarks and standards. 

And our work doesn’t stop when summer ends. As temperatures cool, we continue preparing our electric and natural gas systems to safely and reliably meet customers’ energy needs throughout the winter.