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Ongoing Relief and Enhanced Benefits for Pepco Customers

June 11, 2020

At Pepco, we are committed to providing safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy service, which we know is more critical now than ever with more of our customers working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We would be remiss, if we did not acknowledge the call to action that is underway across the country and globally against racism. Pepco, and our parent company Exelon, stand in solidarity with our black communities to be present and speak out against racism and violence.

Through these difficult times, we are advancing relief for all of our customers who may be challenged, including businesses, small and large. Early on, we took the initial and important action of suspending customer disconnections and reconnecting any customers where it was safe to do so. We have extended these protections, through at least July 1. We also waived any new late fees related to accounts that are
not paid on time. We also expanded our commitment to District of Columbia and Maryland relief organizations to $825,000, with nearly half of this support coming from the Exelon Foundation. These funds are providing critical support through the United Way of the National Capital Area Emergency Assistance Fund to community-based organizations to deliver economic assistance and access to vital food and basic need supplies to workers who have been impacted by the temporary loss of income. We also contributed to the Restaurant Association’s relief fund to support restaurants and employees negatively affected by the coronavirus.

Additional Relief for Customers
Pepco recognizes that many small commercial businesses, such as restaurants, need additional assistance. On June 1, as a part of our multi-year rate plan pending with the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia, we advanced additional protections and relief for our customers. Pepco has proposed to reduce its revenue, foregoing tens of millions of dollars; we are proposing to reduce our return on equity and readjust our capital spend, without compromising critical infrastructure projects. These proposed actions will allow Pepco to freeze energy delivery rates until January 2022 for all customers, to facilitate a time of recovery. In addition, we have proposed to extend several existing assistance and billing programs as well as develop new programs to help our residential, small business and non-profit customers recover from the longer-term impacts of the pandemic.

  • Offering payment plans up to 24-months for customers impacted by COVID-19
  • Establishing small business bill deferral plans
  • Offering rate discounts for non-profits and houses of worship
  • Creating a new $100,000 shareholder-funded program to create a new Good Neighbor Energy Fund to expand needed energy assistance
  • Allowing any account deposits to be applied to balances, should a residential or business customer elect to do so
  • Pepco proposes to work with the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (“DCSEU”) and others to accelerate the creation of two energy efficiency programs for small businesses, with a particular focus on businesses in Opportunity Zones throughout the District of Columbia.
    • This includes a 0-percent interest loan program and supplemental rebate program for small businesses on energy efficiency products, to help customers permanently lower their energy use and save money on the bills for years to come.

How We Can Help You Now
While the above proposals will need to go through a regulatory process that could take several months, Pepco stands ready to assist restaurants and their employees who may be challenged in paying their bills. Pepco will work with customers to waive late payment fees, maintain energy service, and establish payment plans to meet their circumstances. Businesses can contact Pepco Customer Care at 202-833-7500 to establish a customized payment arrangement plan tailored to meet the needs of the business.

Press Release: Pepco Proposes to Freeze DC Customer Energy Delivery Rates Until 2022 and Assist Customers with Pandemic Economic Recovery

Pepco Proposes Enhanced Benefits to Multi-Year Plan

epco Proposes to
Freeze
DC Customer Energy
Delivery
Rates Until 2022
and
Assist Customers with Pandemic Economic Recovery
epco Proposes to
Freeze
DC Customer Energy
Delivery
Rates Until 2022
and
Assist Customers with Pandemic Economic Recovery