BGE Preparing for Possible Weather-Related Power Outages

The Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) announced on Wednesday that it is closely monitoring the weather and expects electric usage to continue to increase throughout the week as temperatures and heat indexes are forecasted to approach and possibly exceed 100 degrees. 

According to a press release, the utility expects to have enough power to meet customer demand and is taking steps to limit the durations of weather-related power outages, should they occur.

BGE is also advising customers of ways to conserve energy even during extremely hot weather. “BGE recognizes the challenges associated with electric service interruptions, and we are extremely sensitive to the impact of power outages on our customers, particularly during periods of extreme weather,” said A. Christopher Burton, senior vice president of gas and electric operations and planning for BGE in a press release.

Customers are reminded to take action to limit the impact of hot weather on their energy usage, which in turn, will help them better manage summer energy bills.

BGE recommends customers do the following to conserve:

• Closing curtains and blinds to keep the sun outside
• Setting thermostats at 78 degrees or higher if health allows
• Delaying use of major, heat generating household appliances, such as ovens, stoves, dishwashers and dryers, until after 9 p.m. when the temperature begins to drop
• Turning off non-essential appliances, electronics and other devices powered by electricity
• Visiting the Summer Ready section of  BGE’s website for helpful information on energy usage during the summer months
• Enrolling in Budget Billing to avoid seasonal spikes in energy usage
• Enrolling in BGE’s PeakRewardsSM program to receive summertime bill credits of up to $200 in the first year of participation. Select the programmable thermostat option for even more energy management tools.

While BGE expects energy usage to continue to increase this week, it does not expect to set a new all-time high for summer energy usage.

According to the press release, the current all-time record for summer energy usage in BGE’s Central Maryland service area is 7,198 megawatts (MW), set on Aug. 3, 2006. Peak usage for a typical summer day is 5,500 MW. One megawatt equals one million watts and is generally enough electricity to power 1,000 homes.