Programs underway have resulted in a 30 percent reduction in vegetation-related outages across the regionPHILADELPHIA (October 3, 2024) — PECO is executing a strategic tree and vegetation management program in Chester County to help reduce power outages caused by severe weather, support infrastructure enhancements, and improve the overall safety and reliability of service. Trees and other vegetation account for approximately one-third of power outages across the region, which is why addressing trees surrounding overhead power lines is an integral part of PECO’s commitment to enhancing reliability, which extends beyond regular equipment maintenance and repairs. PECO’s vegetation management programs include preventive pruning (clearing of fast-growing tree limbs and branches away from power lines) and tree removal (where necessary). To support these efforts, PECO has enlisted specially trained and qualified arborists, following the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A300 standard, to ensure responsible pruning and promote the health of existing vegetation. “Storms are becoming more frequent, stronger and more severe, causing significant tree damage and resulting in power outages for our customers,” said Iris Boci, PECO vice president of Technical Services. “The major storm in July caused extensive tree and vegetation damage across Chester County, particularly in the western portions of the County. We’re serious about managing the delicate balance between ensuring reliability and protecting the environment and we are thoughtful in our approach to this necessary tree and vegetation work.” Since the beginning of 2024 PECO has invested more than $2 million in vegetation management in Chester County and there is still work to be completed. If vegetation management work is scheduled to occur in their area, customers will receive notification in advance. According to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s Electric Reliability Report for 2023, vegetation has consistently been the leading cause of outages in Pennsylvania since 2015. Historically, in regions where PECO performed vegetation clearance work, there was a 30 percent reduction in vegetation-related outages and a significant improvement in electric reliability. Most outages occur during extreme weather, such as the thunderstorms that caused power outages for more than 100,000 customers in Chester County in July. Notably, 86 percent of these outages were caused by vegetation. During the several storm events that have occurred so far in 2024, PECO vegetation management crews completed nearly 900 jobs to remove vegetation that caused a power outage. PECO recognizes and appreciates the importance of trees across the region, which is why the company’s ReLeaf Program was created to expand southeastern Pennsylvania’s tree canopy. PECO’s ReLeaf Program supports tree planting, maintenance and education across the Greater Philadelphia region, through environmental initiatives and partnerships like the Green Region Open Space Program with Natural Lands, where PECO funds local open space projects throughout the region; the Arbor Day Foundation’s Energy Saving Trees Program, which provides more than 1,000 trees annually to PECO customers and nearly 10,000 trees to date; and supporting the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s training of Tree Tenders and tree programming, including Yard Tree Giveaways and TreeVitalize Watershed Grant programs. Through ReLeaf, PECO supports the planting of one tree for every tree removed as part of electric reliability maintenance. These environmental stewardship efforts support PECO’s Path to Clean, which includes a goal for PECO and the collective Exelon utilities to reduce operations-driven emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.###PECO, founded in 1881, is Pennsylvania’s largest electric and natural gas delivery company. Headquartered in Philadelphia, PECO delivers energy to nearly 1.7 million electric customers and more than 553,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. The company’s 3,000 employees are dedicated to the safe and reliable delivery of electricity and natural gas as well as enhanced energy management conservation, environmental stewardship, and community assistance. PECO is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (Nasdaq: EXC), a Fortune 200 company and the nation’s largest energy delivery company, serving more than 10.5 million customers through six fully regulated transmission and distribution utilities. For more information visit PECO.com, our PECOConnection content hub, and connect with the company on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
