PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Severe storms capped off a hectic July Fourth weekend already marred by serious weather, leaving thousands in the Philly region without power.
Thunderstorms hit the region on both Saturday and Sunday night, just as PECO union members hit the picket line. Workers with IBEW Local 614 remain on strike.
PECO is sending contractor crews out in their place.
In Northeast Philadelphia on Monday, PECO contractor crews worked to restore power to a number of blocks. PECO reported more than 3,800 customers had lost power across Philadelphia and its collar counties as of Monday morning.
The storms also downed trees and flooded some areas. Water rescues were carried out in South Philadelphia and parts of Delaware County.
Near Doylestown, the hardest hit area of the overnight storms, more than 300 people were without power.
In a statement, PECO said, “Our customers, communities and partners across the region have been assured that we have comprehensive plans in place to maintain service continuity under any circumstance and will continue to prioritize safety for our employees, customers, and the public.”
PECO also said it is “utilizing qualified contractors, some of which have already worked on our system, and securing additional field support from outside our region.”
Shawn Dougherty, a business agent with IBEW Local 614, said replacing workers with contractors isn’t that simple.
“They think that we’re a plug-and-play unit, that they can just bring contractors in from other states. They don’t understand that this system is one of the oldest in the country,” he told NBC10.
Contract negotiations are set to resume Monday morning.
PECO union members remain on strike
PECO union members remain on strike
