PECO Strengthens Grid Reliability After Record Heat and Severe Storms

The summer of 2025 proved to be a critical test of reliability for PECO, as southeastern Pennsylvania faced multiple stretches of extreme heat and one of the most damaging storms in the company’s history. Despite those challenges, PECO reported fewer service interruptions and equipment issues compared to previous years—results the company attributes to recent grid investments, proactive planning, and the efforts of its workforce.

Over the next five years, PECO plans to invest nearly $10 billion to modernize its electric grid and natural gas infrastructure. The upgrades are designed to make systems more resilient to severe weather and to reduce the frequency and duration of outages through initiatives such as vegetation management, transmission line replacement, and substation upgrades.

Automated equipment played a key role in reliability improvements this summer. Reclosers prevented approximately 400,000 outages. Smart meters also supported faster restoration by verifying service status, helping the company avoid dispatching crews unnecessarily more than 14,800 times.

The most significant challenge came in late June, when a powerful storm and extreme heat combined to cause widespread outages affecting 367,000 customers. PECO restored half of those customers within 24 hours and completed all repairs by June 23, four days after the storm began.

“We are so proud of every employee who responded to the call to serve our customers this summer,” said Nicole LeVine, PECO senior vice president and COO. “Their critical work throughout the year to strengthen our infrastructure made it possible to quickly restore service to every customer impacted by the significant storm we experienced in June.”

During restoration efforts, crews replaced 10,600 fuses, 1,300 crossarms, and 280 transformers, and repaired 610 miles of wire and cable. Vegetation management teams also completed 1,628 assignments, clearing trees and debris that caused many of the outages. PECO continues to invest in vegetation management, with $58 million allocated through 2025.

June’s storm was compounded by record-breaking heat, with temperatures reaching 100 degrees and heat indexes as high as 110 in the Philadelphia area. As the company transitions into the fall and winter seasons, PECO says it remains focused on ensuring both its electric and natural gas systems are prepared to meet customers’ needs in the months ahead.