FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 1E
Government of the District of Columbia
2605 Sherman Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
Contact: Commissioner Brad Howard, ANC 1E Engagement Secretary
www.anc1e.org | 1E01@anc.dc.gov
WASHINGTON — At its May 28 public meeting, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1E unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Office of the People’s Counsel (OPC) to investigate repeated Pepco reliability failures in the Park View neighborhood. The resolution supports a formal request submitted by Commissioner Brad Howard (1E01) on May 11, 2025, asking the OPC to take action on behalf of affected residents and businesses.
Over the past 11 months, residents around 3526 Park Place NW have endured at least five multi-hour power outages, most recently on May 4, 2025. Despite a meeting with Pepco representatives on April 23, two additional outages occurred afterward, prompting concerns about the utility’s responsiveness and planning.
[NOTE: Since this resolution, another power outage lasting more than four hours occurred on Monday, June 24 around 7 p.m. ET]
“These outages are not just inconvenient—they’re disruptive to families, small businesses, and schools,” said Commissioner Howard. “With Pepco raising rates, our community deserves reliability and answers. We appreciate the OPC’s role in protecting ratepayers and hope they’ll act swiftly.”
The resolution calls on the OPC to review Pepco’s infrastructure in Park View, engage directly with the community, and pursue accountability measures before the D.C. Public Service Commission if necessary. It also designates Commissioners Brad Howard and Audra Grant as ANC 1E’s representatives in all matters related to the resolution.
The full text of the adopted resolution follows:
#1E-2025-0507: Resolution in Support of the Request to the Office of the People’s Counsel Regarding Pepco Reliability Failures in Park View
WHEREAS, Residents and businesses in ANC 1E, particularly in the Park View neighborhood, have experienced at least five prolonged power outages at 3526 Park Place NW and surrounding blocks within the past 11 months, specifically on: June 22, 2024; July 1, 2024; April 1, 2025; April 27, 2025; and May 4, 2025; and
WHEREAS, These outages have each lasted multiple hours, causing disruption to households, local schools, and small businesses, and raising serious concerns about grid reliability and infrastructure maintenance; and
WHEREAS, Pepco representatives attended the ANC 1E meeting on April 23, 2025, in response to repeated constituent complaints, but failed to provide a clear explanation for the outages, a timeline for completing their internal “assessment,” or a plan for near-term mitigation; and
WHEREAS, Since that meeting, two additional outages have occurred in the same area, compounding concerns about the pace and seriousness of Pepco’s response; and
WHEREAS, Pepco is currently implementing a $123.4 million rate increase, approved by the D.C. Public Service Commission in November 2024, resulting in higher costs for residential customers—including an average monthly increase of $7.54 in 2025 and $3.80 in 2026—without commensurate improvements in service quality or transparency; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Brad Howard submitted a formal request to the Office of the People’s Counsel (OPC) on May 11, 2025, asking for their engagement in investigating Pepco’s performance, advocating for impacted ratepayers, and ensuring the utility is held accountable for failures in infrastructure, communication, and reliability; therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That ANC 1E supports the request submitted by Commissioner Brad Howard (1E01) to the Office of the People’s Counsel, and urges the OPC to:
- Conduct a thorough review of Pepco’s outage history and infrastructure vulnerabilities in the Park View area;
- Engage directly with ANC 1E and affected residents to gather testimony and concerns;
- Advocate for transparency, corrective planning, and accountability from Pepco; and
- Recommend any further action before the D.C. Public Service Commission as appropriate;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, ANC 1E designates Commissioners Brad Howard and Audra Grant to represent the Commission in all matters relating to this Resolution. In the event the designated representative Commissioner cannot carry out their representative duties for any reason, ANC 1E authorizes the Chair to designate another Commissioner to represent the Commission in all matters relating to this Resolution.
Certification:
At a regularly scheduled and publicly noticed meeting held on May 28, 2025, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1E considered the above resolution. With a quorum of 6 Commissioners present, the Commission voted with 6 Yeas, 0 Nays, and 0 Abstentions, to adopt the above resolution.
Brian Footer
Chairperson, ANC 1E
Audra Grant
Secretary, ANC 1E
About ANC 1E:
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1E represents the neighborhoods of Pleasant Plains, Park View, and the Howard University area. Commissioners are elected to advise the District government on decisions that affect their neighborhoods, including public safety, transportation, planning, zoning, and city services. All ANC meetings are open to the public, and residents are encouraged to participate in shaping the future of their community.
About Advisory Neighborhood Commissions:
ANCs are nonpartisan, locally elected bodies in Washington, D.C. that represent neighborhood interests to the District government. While ANCs do not have legislative power, they are given “great weight” on decisions before city agencies and the Council. Commissioners serve two-year terms and are elected by single-member districts within each ward.
ANC 1E 