Tornado damage will require major rebuild, Pepco says

By the OGJ Online Staff

HOUSTON, Sept. 25 -- Potomac Electric Power Co. Tuesday said Monday's tornado extensively damaged its distribution system in the College Park and Beltsville, Md., area.

Major sections of Pepco's system in the tornado-ravaged area need to be entirely rebuilt, the company said. Although power has been restored to more than half of the customers affected by the storm, Pepco said the remaining work to cut away damaged equipment and rebuild will be a time consuming process.

Pepco said crews worked through the night and by noon Tuesday had restored service to about 12,000 customers, leaving 8,000 still without power. But the company said it could be Friday night before power is restored for some customers.

Pepco dispatched about 100 employees to walk through the neighborhoods to inventory the damage to the electric distribution system, subdivision by subdivision. With reports of damage to electric meters and interior electric damage, some homeowners will have hire private electrical contractors to make repairs before Pepco can safely restore power to the residence, the company said.

The tornado uprooted or broke upwards of 100 poles, pulled down wires, and blacked out two electrical substations. Workers are replacing dozens of utility poles, restringing power cables, and replacing transformers in suburban Maryland.

Pepco reported mobilizing for a major reconstruction job and assigned crews to 12-hour shifts. The company has more than 125 crews working, including Pepco contractors and utility crews from other companies.

These included 21 Conectiv field crews who drove from Maryland's eastern shore, Delaware, and southern New Jersey to assist in the reconstruction. Conectiv is the Wilmington, Del.-based utility in the process of merging with Pepco. Utilities in Baltimore and southern Maryland were also sending crews.

The company said it also arranged to distribute dry ice to customers still without power.