BGE Making Progress, But Many Still in the Dark

Though Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) announced today that during the 72 hours since Hurricane Irene’s passing it has restored electric service to more than 80 percent those who lost power, that is little comfort to the nearly 150,000 still left to go.

“Cape is still struggling,” reported Christy Roberts on Broadneck Patch’s Facebook Page Wednesday morning. “Much has been restored. The shopping center is back and many homes - but a select few are still out (including me), and transformers blew during the night and this morning, cruelly taking power from those who had gotten it back.”

According to BGE spokesperson Rachael Lighty, they are attempting to call customers with a recorded message today alerting them if crews are expected to be in their area and advising them that BGE expects to restore the majority of that area today or early tomorrow – though in some cases, additional repairs may be required.

On a new list now available on the www.bge.com website, Arnold and Annapolis are mentioned as two of the areas where crews are or will be working today. Customers can also stay informed on restoration progress via www.bge.com, Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

As a possible explanation for the delay in getting Broadneck back up to speed, A. Christopher Burton, senior vice president of gas and electric operations and planning for BGE, said in a press release on Wednesday, “Much like Isabel, Hurricane Irene caused widespread and extensive tree debris which always extends outage durations because that debris must be cleared in order to make roads passable and to access electric delivery equipment before any repairs can be made.”

According to Lighty, restoration crews are working in “pods,” meaning work that requires multiple crews with different skill sets are traveling together, allowing each crew to begin its work as soon as the crew before them has completed their part of the job.

Though Lighty said that public safety is always a priority, numerous heavily traveled intersections in the Broadneck area remained non-functional as of Wednesday morning. “While it may seem like an easy fix, it could really be very labor intensive,” she said.

The result of the delay in restoration could mean dangerous conditions for many in the area.

A generator caught a garage on fire in the 1000 block of Sun Vally Drive around 2:55 a.m. Wednesday, Lt. Cliff Kooser, Anne Arundel County Fire Department spokesman said. No damage estimate was available and no one was injured.

Residents using generators should keep them outside approximately 10 to 15 feet away from houses, open windows and doors, Kooser said. Residents should also make sure they have working carbon monoxide detectors in their homes while using generators, he said.