PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

PECO will inspect more than 39,000 utility poles throughout Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties this year as part of the company’s commitment to deliver safe and reliable energy for customers. Part of nearly $3 million in preventive maintenance work, the inspections will continue through the fall of 2017.

Inspections include a visual examination of poles and the electrical equipment attached, taking samples from the interior of poles and excavating around the base to check for decay. Any necessary repairs and replacements would then be performed. PECO maintains more than 390,000 poles across the region and each pole is inspected every 10 years in accordance with the National Electric Safety Code, benefitting the company’s more than 1.6 million electric customers.

“Continuous inspection, repair and replacement of equipment on our electric system is critical to ensuring safe and reliable service for our customers,” said David Weaver, vice president of Technical Services. “Preventive maintenance programs such as this help reduce the frequency and duration of outages, and improve the performance of our entire system, keeping our customers and crews safe.”

Poles in the following communities, townships, and boroughs will be inspected this year:

• Bucks: Bedminster, Buckingham, Chalfont Borough, Doylestown, Doylestown Borough, New Britain, Solebury and Upper Makefield.
• Chester: Charlestown, East Pikeland, Phoenixville Borough, Schuylkill and Tredyffrin.
• Delaware: Alden, Aston, Brookhaven, Chester, Collingdale, Darby, Eddystone, Folcroft, Glenolden, Media Borough, Middletown, Morton, Nether, Nether Providence, Prospect Park, Ridley, Ridley Park, Rose Valley, Springfield, Tinicum, Upland and Upper Darby.
• Montgomery: Bridgeport Borough, Conshohocken Borough, East Norriton, East Pikeland, East Vincent, Limerick, Lower Providence, Marlborough, Perkiomen, Plymouth, Royerford Borough, Salford, Skippack, Spring City, Upper Merion, Upper Providence, Upper Salford, West Norriton, Whitemarsh and Whitpain.

Each year, PECO invests more than $500 million to enhance the company’s electric system. This program is part of the company’s overall preventive maintenance program which also includes regular inspection of equipment, including manholes, aerial wires and underground cables, transformers and substations.

Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). The company’s 2,500 dedicated employees provide advanced, innovative energy solutions to 1.6 million electric and more than 511,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2015 PECO delivered 86.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 38 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. The company also has an estimated annual economic impact of $4.3 billion in Pennsylvania, supporting more than 8,700 local jobs and producing $732 million in labor income. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations. For more information visit PECO.com, and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter.

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