Commission calls PEPCO’s explanation for chronic Park View outages inadequate and urges Public Service Commission to keep the case open.
WASHINGTON — Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1E (ANC 1E) is urging the DC Public Service Commission (PSC) to continue its investigation into chronic power outages in the Park View neighborhood after formally rejecting PEPCO’s response to a complaint filed earlier this year by Commissioner Brad Howard (1E01).
The complaint, submitted under Case No. CLT-01873, requested PSC intervention after nearly a year of repeated service disruptions and insufficient action from the utility. As part of standard procedure, the PSC forwarded the complaint to PEPCO for response.
PEPCO’s July 11 reply outlined four recent outages and described short-term corrective actions such as transformer replacements and load rebalancing. However, the response included no root cause analysis, no long-term infrastructure plan, and no measurable commitments to improve reliability.
On July 20, ANC 1E submitted a formal letter to the PSC rejecting PEPCO’s response and requesting that the case remain open.
“We do not consider this matter resolved, and we request that the case remain open until PEPCO provides a more complete and actionable reply,” said Commissioner Brad Howard (1E01) in his response to the PSC.
The Commission noted that PEPCO’s filing failed to address the systemic causes of the outages and ignored broader equity concerns—particularly that residents are now paying higher electric rates despite continued poor service. It also criticized the utility’s limited engagement with the community.
“Attending a single ANC meeting is not a substitute for sustained dialogue, transparency, and accountability,” Howard continued. “Residents deserve regular updates and an opportunity to help shape the path forward.”
In its response, ANC 1E asked the PSC to require PEPCO to submit a supplemental filing that includes:
- A detailed analysis of reliability failures
- A timeline for planned infrastructure improvements
- Performance benchmarks for the affected feeder
- A plan for regular public reporting and community engagement
The Commission also encouraged the Office of the People’s Counsel to host a listening session for affected residents and consider further regulatory oversight if needed.
All filings related to the complaint—including PEPCO’s response and ANC 1E’s letter—are available in the PSC docket under Formal Case No. 1160, Complaint CLT-01873.
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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 