BGE Prepares For Outages As Snowstorm Threatens Maryland

MARYLAND — With a snowstorm heading toward Maryland, BGE is preparing to fix any power outages that may occur. The electricity company has limited workers, so it must prioritize who gets power back first.

"When outages occur, we work to restore every customer as safely and as [quickly] as possible," BGE Chief Customer Officer Tamla Olivier said in a press release. "Please keep in mind that snow and ice can cause dangerous road conditions that may impact the arrival times of crews working to restore service."

BGE's top priority is critical facilities. That means 911 centers, hospitals and pumping stations will have their power restored first.

After that, BGE will move onto areas with lots of outages close together. This helps restore power to the most people as quickly as possible.

If outages continue for a while, the utility service will consider special needs when it schedules repairs. That means folks who are older, have a disability or rely on electricity for medical equipment could get power back sooner. Still, BGE encourages these Marylanders to plan ahead.

"Just as we prepare, we ask our customers to get ready for this storm in case there are power outages," Oliver said. "We encourage customers to take preparation steps now and to have alternative plans in place to help ensure their safety ahead of the storm."

BGE asked residents to identify outdoor electrical equipment and meters before it snows. That will help locals avoid shoveling over top of utilities that could break. BGE advised Marylanders to dust off these surfaces lightly if snow covers them.

The service provider asked all residents who lose power, even those with smart meters, to report the outage. Locals can submit the tip by:

• Heading to BGE.com
• Using the BGE mobile app
• Sending a text to "MyBGE" (69243)
• Calling (877) 778-2222

Marylanders can sign up for BGE alerts at BGE.com/alerts. Residents can track power outages by county on this website.

To catch up on the latest forecast for Winter Storm Orlena, read Patch's latest update.

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RELATED:

• Maryland Weather: Snowfall Estimates, Timing For Weekend Storm

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