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Pepco Plan Takes Too Long, Says One Local Leader

By: Matt Bush // March 9, 2011
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An independent study called the utilities plan "cobbled together," saying it was created with a "ready, shoot, aim" approach. Pepco put together the plan following a rash of lengthy power outages caused by snow and thunderstorms last year.

Montgomery County Council Vice President Roger Berliner agreed with the report that Pepco did not put a lot of thought into its plan, adding it takes too long to reach the national average for reliability.

"Five years is way too long. This is an emergency. This is not business as usual. From my perspective, it ought to be three years and it ought to get us to the top quartile," he says.

Pepco ranks in the bottom half nationwide when it comes to both the frequency of outages in its system, and the length of those outages.

The Maryland General Assembly is considering a bill that would impose reliability standards on Pepco, that, if not met, would mean the utility could not raise the rates it charges its customers.

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