We may be feeling effects from the snow, ice and below-freezing temperatures we’re expecting for the next few days.
After the immediate snow, the bigger concern will be the freezing rain and ice expected to form on tree branches and power lines that could bring them down and potentially leave you in the dark.
Chuck McDade, a senior communications specialist with Pepco, urged the public to make sure their most important devices, such as their phones or medical equipment, were fully charged should the current sleet falling across the region turn to freezing rain.
“Now’s the time to charge it while the power is still on, and everything is fine,” McDade said. “Right now it’s just really a wait and see what happens with the rest of the storm.”
Utility companies in D.C., Maryland and Virginia have been preparing for this for days, getting resources in place to respond quickly.
How much ice we get and where the power lines go down may affect how quickly crews can get your power restored.
McDade urged customers to report any outages and to report any downed wires or damaged equipment, underscoring the importance of keeping a safe distance from compromised devices.
“We do ask if an outage does occur, to have some patience. We want our crews to get home safely at the end of the day so they can get out there make those repairs,” he said. “But it is a little bit different than a thunderstorm, where you can go out, you can assess the damage and start making repairs. But with the road conditions, you do have to take that into consideration.”
Aisha Khan at Dominion Energy in Virginia told WTOP it could be hours and potentially days before power may be fixed.
“I do want to emphasize that this could be gradual restoration,” Khan said.
Khan also urged caution if you encounter a downed power line. “Stay away from those power lines. Always assume they are energized. We ask that you stay 30 feet away,” she said.
Both Pepco and Dominion say you should have enough food and water for 72 hours, in case the power goes out, and make sure your phone is charged up.
If your power does go out, always call your utility to let them know — don’t assume it already knows.
Pepco’s Tammy Sanford, the director of regional power operations, previously told WTOP that there’s one thing the public can do to help crews speed up the restoration process: stay off the roads.
“Please, if you don’t need to be out on the roads, it’s going to be really important that first responders, including fire, police and our crews, can safely make their way around our system,” she said.
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