BALTIMORE, MD – BGE crews working around the clock have restored service to the majority of customers who lost power during a late-afternoon thunderstorm on Wednesday, July 17, that downed trees and branches and damaged overhead electric wires throughout central Maryland.

A real-time outage map with current outage data is available at outagemap.bge.com.

Customers who remain without power are likely to have their service restored by Thursday evening. However, some outages might extend into Friday due primarily to extensive tree damage that must be cleared before restoration work on BGE equipment can begin. Customers who experience an outage at any time are encouraged to report their outage online at www.bge.com, on the BGE Mobile App, via text message to MyBGE (69243), or by calling customer service at 1-877-778-2222. Online services and the phone number are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

BGE monitors the weather constantly and mobilized its storm center yesterday prior to the storms. BGE said they had increased construction and tree crew staffing in preparation for anticipated storm damage to electric equipment, and additional crews were mobilized to respond to additional potential outages from storms that had been forecast for Thursday.

BGE has also been preparing for the extreme heat that is affecting the region and which is expected to peak at the close of the week. Those preparations include:

• Continuing to monitor this extreme weather pattern and share best practices with emergency management partners in the area as well as sister companies across Exelon.
• Increasing field and customer service staffing to respond to any outages or other issues.
• Each day, and ahead of increased demand for electricity during the summer months, work is performed as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to further enhance reliability for customers. This work includes inspecting and upgrading equipment; trimming trees, which cause about 30 percent of power outages for customers each year; and undertaking dozens of targeted projects to modernize critical energy infrastructure and build a more resilient grid.

Tips to help customers save money and energy during hot summer days include:

• Set thermostats at a comfortable 78 degrees during hot summer days.
• Turn off or unplug all unnecessary lighting, devices, and appliances.
• When the AC is on, keep all outside doors and windows closed. Closing shades, blinds and curtains can also help keep unwanted heat from entering your home.
• Run appliances that produce heat (like clothes dryers, ovens, and dishwashers) at night when it is cooler.
• Turn on ceiling fans to evenly distribute cool air throughout your home.
• Ensure that ducts and fans are not blocked by furniture. This will enable cool air to circulate freely, making your home more comfortable.

More energy saving tips are available at bge.com.