OPINION:
The electric outages during January’s wintry blast produced a firestorm of criticism directed at Pepco from inconsolable customers, regulatory committees and legislative officials (“Hundreds of thousands lack power in Mid-Atlantic region,” Web, Jan. 27). My household was among those affected in our region, requiring numerous adjustments in the lives of my family members for more than four days before things returned to normal. Now, in the aftermath, I understand the overwhelming sentiment that Pepco must do a better job of delivering reliable power to its customers, an opinion with which Pepco’s leadership has agreed, vowing to change.
I think Pepco has the wherewithal and commitment to meet customer expectations of reliable service. This commitment is backed by a comprehensive reliability-enhancement plan for improvements across the entire electric grid, and Pepco is backing up its commitment with the funding to make it happen. In my experience, the company has always placed a premium on providing reliable electric service, and I expect it will do what is necessary to make these improvements and meet customer expectations.
I know this commitment firsthand, because for more than a decade I worked as a member of Pepco’s customer service team. During major outage events, my team (many of whom, if not all, were themselves Pepco customers) worked around the clock to provide customers the best information possible to help them manage their lives while service was being restored. Believe me when I say that everything else takes a back seat when major events affect our communities. I have personally witnessed the energy, intelligence and commitment of Pepco’s leadership team and feel confident it will accomplish the required enhancements.
However, it is obvious that Pepco has significant gaps to close in customer perceptions of reliability, and it will take time to change these perceptions. I am encouraged by the visibility of Pepco utility trucks in my neighborhood, with signage indicating their work on reliability improvements. While there will always be bad weather and major storms, I have faith in Pepco’s ability to provide safe and reliable service. The public should give the company the opportunity to meet expectations and make the system work better for all of us.
PAULA BLAIR
Washington
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