Contact: Rachael Lighty, rachael.lighty@bge.com Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) BGE Media Hotline: 410.470.

7433

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BGE Directed by Regional Grid Operator, PJM Interconnection, to Begin PeakRewardsSM Emergency Cycling Event
Customers voluntarily enrolled in the PeakRewards Air Conditioning program will be cycled up to their chosen cycling level for the duration of the event Customers enrolled in the PeakRewards Electric Water Heater program will also be cycled

BALTIMORE (Sept. 11, 2013) At the direction of the Mid-Atlantic regional grid operator, PJM Interconnection, Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) will begin a PeakRewards emergency cycling event this afternoon. All customers who are voluntarily enrolled in the PeakRewards Air Conditioning program and the PeakRewards Electric Water Heater program will be cycled up to their chosen level of participation. For PeakRewards Air Conditioning program participants who have chosen to participate at the 50 percent level, compressors will be off for half the time they would normally run. For participants at the 75 percent level, compressors will be off for three-quarters the time they would normally run. During the event, customers who participate at the 100 percent level will have no air conditioning for the duration of the event, meaning no new cool air will be produced. Customers participating in the PeakRewards Electric Water Heater program will also experience a 100 percent cycling of their water heaters, meaning their water will not be heated until the event ends. In most cases, water in the tank prior to program activation will remain warm. During the cycling event, the word SAVINGS should appear on PeakRewards thermostats inside participating customers homes or a red light should illuminate on the PeakRewards switch on or near the central air conditioning unit or water heater. BGE cannot predict the duration of this event, however, the company will continue to communicate with customers and keep them informed through notifications on bge.com, the PeakRewards Event Central Page, and individual email notifications. When the cycling event ends, BGE will transition all air conditioning program customers to a lower cycling level to maintain system reliability. Customers will not be able to override cycling during this emergency event. However, customers who have a medical or health condition or require assistance should call the PeakRewards customer hotline at 888.309.PEAK (7325). While customers receive bill credits for their participation in the PeakRewards program, BGE understands that the cycling may cause some inconvenience or discomfort. BGE recommends customers consider the following tips for staying comfortable during the PeakRewards activation: Stay hydrated drink plenty of water Consider going to a cool place such as a movie theater, mall or pool
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Relax in the basement where the temperature is typically several degrees cooler than the rest of the house Use an outdoor grill or microwave instead of the stove or oven Avoid using other heat-producing appliances such as dishwashers and clothes dryers Draw blinds and curtains in rooms that receive a lot of sunlight Turn ceiling fan on with blades rotating counter clockwise BGE thanks its customers for participating in BGEs PeakRewards program and for helping to reduce peak electric demand and ensure the reliability of the electric system. PeakRewards customers receive annual bill credits of $100-$200 in the first year of enrollment and up to $100 every year thereafter. The program has helped to reduce peak demand by more than 430 megawattsequivalent to a medium-sized power plant and as a result, last summer helped BGE avoid potential brownouts and blackouts, which could have affected all of its 1.2 million electric customers in central Maryland. For more information on PeakRewards, visit bge.com. ### BGE, headquartered in Baltimore, is Marylands largest gas and electric utility, delivering power to more than 1.2 million electric customers and more than 655,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland. The companys approximately 3,400 employees are committed to the safe and reliable delivery of gas and electricity, as well as enhanced energy management, conservation, environmental stewardship and community assistance. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nations leading competitive energy provider, with 2012 revenues of approximately $23.5 billion. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.