About 1,500 Pepco customers in Near Northeast have lost power this morning, according to the electric company.
The outage affects an area centered around the H Street corridor, roughly bounded by C Street, 8th Street and Florida Avenue NE, as well as the train tracks north of Union Station. The electricity went out about 5 a.m.
The power is expected to return by 10 a.m.
Image via Pepco
Man Sentenced to Prison for Break-Ins at Two Northeast Homes — Tavon Barber, a 20-year-old D.C. resident was sentenced to 40 years in prison in connection with two burglaries committed nearly two years ago. The first burglary happened in NoMa on the 1100 block of 6th Street NE. [Washington Post]
Hill East Residents Express Concerns Over Proposed Substance Abuse Recovery Center — About 40 Hill East residents et with the District Department of Behavioral Services and the leaders of Andromeda Transcultural Health Services to voice their concerns over a planned recovery center at the intersection of 15th Street SE and South Carolina Avenue SE. [Capitol Hill Corner]
Watchdog Group Questions Pepco Deal for D.C. United Stadium Naming Rights — The Chesapeake Climate Action Network and watchdog group Public Citizen released a research paper arguing that Pepco’s $25 million deal for naming rights near the future D.C. United stadium on Buzzard Point is unprecendented and possibly connected to the Pepco-Exelon merger. [WAMU]
36-Unit Residential Building Planned for Hill East — Developer Pecar Properties is planning to raze three rowhomes and a church on the 1300 block of K Street SE to build a 36-unit residential building that will finish in late 2017. [Capitol Hill Corner]
Capitol Hill Residents Fight ‘Pop-Backs’ Near Union Station — ANC 6C Commissioner Mark Eckenwiler has joined some neighbors in complaining about expansions to rowhouses near Union Station that he says violate city code. [Washington Post]
Barracks Row Eatery Las Placitas Reopens at New Location — Las Placitas restaurant has reopened at its new location at 8th and L streets SE after relocating several blocks South of its original location. [JDLand]
Power Restored After Overnight Outages on Capitol Hill — Capitol Hill residents along East Capitol Street between the Supreme Court and Lincoln Park lost power for several hours last night due to a problem with a circuit breaker, but Pepco now says that power has been restored. [WTOP]
Navy Yard Brewery Honors Capitals Player With New Beer — Bluejacket brewery in Navy Yard released The Chimmer beer, an IPA honoring Washington Capitals player Jason Chimera. [Eater]
D.C. Councilmembers Speak Out Against Pepco-Exelon merger — Ward 6 Councilman Charles Allen joined Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh and At Large Councilmembers David Grosso and Elissa Silverman on a letter urging the District’s Public Service Commission to reject the proposed takeover of Pepco by Exelon. [Washington Post]
Monthly Capitol Hill Area ANC Meeting Roundup — Hill Rag takes a look at what happened last month with Capitol Hill area ANCs, including 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D. [Hill Rag]
Enterprise Car Rental to Open in Southwest This Week — Enterprise car rental is slated to open its new location at Waterfront Station at 1100 4th Street SW this week. [SWTLQTC]
Video Compares H Street Streetcar to Simpsons’ Monorail — A song created by Express writer Sadie Dingfelder, who has written other local transit-themed tunes, compares the H Street Streetcar to the Springfield Monorail from The Simpsons. [Washington Post]
Bowser Denies Link Between Pepco Stadium Deal, Merger — Mayor Muriel Bowser and Pepco representatives both denied rumors that Pepco’s agreement to pay $25 million for naming rights of the future D.C. United Stadium and other properties influenced Bowser’s decision to back the Pepco-Exelon merger. [WUSA 9]
Capitol Hill-Based Beer Brand Looking Past Local Markets to China — Meet the owner of a new Capitol Hill-based beer brand 888 Lucky Beer, who is focusing on selling his brew in China. [Washington City Paper]
Metrobus and Streetcar That Collided Yesterday Sustained Minor Damage — An accordion-style articulated bus and a streetcar both sustained very minor damage when the bus crashed into the streetcar on H Street NE yesterday. [Washington Post]
Canal Park Ice Rink Opens for Winter Today — The Canal Park Ice Rink in Navy Yard is set to open for the winter at noon today after a week-long delay due to unusually warm temperatures. [Hill Now]
Capitol Hill Starbucks Vows to Fix Trash, Rat Problems — The Starbucks on Pennsylvania Avenue and 3rd Street SE vowed to take steps to improve their trash management, which neighbors complained was bringing rats to the area. The efforts were enough for the location to secure ANC approval for a liquor license to sell beer and wine. [Capitol Hill Corner]
Activists Question Link Between Mayor’s Support of Pepco-Exelon Merger, Pepco Funding for Soccer Stadium — Opponents of the Pepco-Exelon merger met at the site of the future D.C. United stadium on Buzzard Point to question whether there was a connection between Mayor Muriel Bowser’s support of the energy company merger and Pepco’s agreement to pay $25 million for naming rights of the new stadium. [WTOP]
Gay Rights Pioneer, World War II Veteran Honored With Headstone at Congressional Cemetery — Members of the military and local gay and lesbian activists gathered at Congressional Cemetery on Veterans Day for the unveiling of a new headstone honoring Frank Kameny, a WWII veteran that many consider the father of the gay rights movement. [NBC Washington]
Uptick in Robberies Has Changed Daily Routines for Capitol Hill Residents — The Washington Post looks at how Capitol Hill residents have had to change their routines and lifestyles in response to a recent uptick in robberies. [Washington Post]
Top District Transportation Official Cautious About Streetcar Predictions — District Department of Transportation Director Leif Dormsjo said in an interview with WAMU that he can’t guarantee that the streetcar will carry passengers by the end of the year. [WAMU]
Councilman Allen, Business Leaders Meet Again to Discuss Safety Problems Near Eastern Market Metro — Representatives from local businesses, ANC6B and the Metropolitan Police Department met with Ward 6 Councilman Charles Allen on Monday for a second meeting to address crime and safety concerns near the Eastern Market Metro Station. [Capitol Hill Corner]
Pepco Seeks to Rename Street on Buzzard Point ‘Pepco Place’ — The District government and Pepco agreec to a sponsorship arrangement in which Pepco will pay $25 million in exchange for renaming Half Street SW between Potomac Avenue and V Street “Pepco Place.” Much of the money will be used to cover the city’s expected eminent domain payment for the last remaining land on the future D.C. United stadium plot. [Washington Business Journal]
Friends of Rosedale Library to Hold ‘Reverse Book Sale’ Book Drive — Friends of the Rosedale Library will celebrate their third birthday on Saturday with a book and donation drive to benefit the library at 1701 Gales St. NE. [Frozen Tropics]
(Updated at 12:30 p.m.) A “small fire” broke out in the control room of a Pepco substation in Southwest this morning, a Pepco spokesman said.
The D.C. Fire and EMS Department received a report of a fire at the power company’s facility at Half and T streets SW about 9 a.m., according to the agency said. The substation sits on land that is slated to become part of the future D.C. United stadium at Buzzard Point.
No injuries from the fire have been reported. Electricity service also wasn’t affected, Pepco spokesman Marcus Beal said.
The fire was caused by electrical equipment that overheated, Deputy Fire Chief John Donnelly said. Some of Pepco’s equipment was damaged from the fire and smoke, he added.
By about 10:45 a.m., the fire was extinguished, according to D.C. Fire and EMS. But firefighters still were working to contain the smoke.
“It’s a big enclosed building with a lot of electrical equipment so it could be dangerous,” Donnelly said. “We need to be careful as we proceed.”
Photo via Twitter/DC Fire and EMS
Olympics Unlikely to Come to Capitol Hill Area — The U.S. Olympic Committee hinted that it would name Los Angeles as its official candidate to host the 2024 Olympics, quieting speculation that the games could come to D.C. Supporters of the District’s bid had discussed the possibility of constructing major Olympic venues in the Capitol Hill area. [Los Angeles Times]
New Pepco Substation to Serve Southwest — Pepco will build a new substation in Buzzard Point in an effort to address increased electrical usage in Southwest. [The Southwester]
Capitol Hill Bicycle Lanes Get New Paint Job — Bicycle lanes on 4th and 6th streets NE received a fresh coat of bright green paint over the weekend. [The Hill Is Home]
D.C. Officials to Meet With Rosedale Residents About Recent Crime — Councilman Charles Allen of Ward 6, a Metropolitan Police Department commander and other D.C. officials are scheduled to visit Rosedale tonight for a discussion on public safety in and around the area. [Hill Now]
Councilman Charles Allen of Ward 6 is urging Mayor Muriel Bowser to fight the proposed $6.4 billion sale of Pepco to a Chicago-based energy company.
Allen and other D.C. leaders told the mayor today that Exelon’s planned acquisition of Pepco could increase locals’ electricity bills and thwart the District’s clean energy plan. He was joined at a news conference in front of the Wilson Building by Councilwoman Mary Cheh of Ward 3 and ANC commissioners.
Last month, Allen and other D.C. officials sent a letter with similar concerns to the D.C. Public Service Commission. The PSC must approve the merger in order for Pepco to complete its sale to Exelon.
“My constituents have spoken up loud and clear against this merger — it’s a bad deal for D.C.,” Allen said in a statement.
Michael Czin, a spokesman for Bowser, said the mayor’s lawyers still are examining the planned acquisition.
“As the last jurisdiction to review the merger, the Bowser administration is committed to negotiating a resolution that best serves the interests of District residents and rate payers,” Czin said in a statement.
Myra Oppel, a Pepco spokeswoman, said her company’s deal with Exelon would bring savings to customers, among other benefits to the District.
“A number of parties made constructive proposals, and in response, we substantially enhanced our proposed package to deliver even more value to the District and its citizens,” Oppel said in a statement. “Unfortunately, a few parties have taken a ‘just say no’ position on the merger which, in our view, ignores the immediate and long-term benefits to customers and to the District that will not be available if the merger does not go forward.”
The PSC is accepting comments from the public on the proposed acquisition until May 27. The commission is expected to reach a decision on the planned merger this summer.
Photo via Flickr/Public Citizen
More than 300 Pepco customers on Capitol Hill and in Hill East were without power for hours this morning.
The outage began about 5 a.m. and affected an area bordered roughly by 10th Street SE, G Street SE and the Anacostia River.
Tyler Elementary School at 1001 G St. SE lost power, but was able to open on time at 8:35 a.m. once service was restored, a school representative said.
Service was restored to most customers before 8:45 a.m., according to Pepco. Fewer than 10 customers were still without electricity at that time.
Image via Pepco
After multiple power outages this month, Hill East residents may get relief.
Pepco replaced equipment near Pennsylvania and Potomac avenues SE overnight today, the company told Hill Now.
“Crews replaced approximately 150 feet of primary cable, replaced and increased the capacity of transformers in order to accommodate a new structure on the 1400 block of Pennsylvania Ave., SE, and re-routed a feeder off a property near 16th and Pennsylvania Ave., SE,” Pepco said in a statement.
During the work, about 500 customers were without power from 11:30 p.m. Tuesday through about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Pepco said. The company placed door hangers on March 18 and 19 on homes they expected to be affected. One local reported not having been notified of the outage.
Hill East was hit by power outages early this month, including on March 2, when more than 500 customers were left in the dark for more than 20 hours. The owner of the Pennsylvania Avenue bar Wisdom said the outages forced him to shut down two Sundays in a row. “It really sucks for business,” he said.
The 1400 block of Pennsylvania Ave. SE, where Pepco upgraded infrastructure, may be the future site of a retail strip with more than 150 apartments and possibly a restaurant or brewery, a developer said last month. The standalone New York Pizza restaurant is on that land now.
About 1,200 Pepco customers are without power near Union Station this afternoon.
The power outage is centered around N. Capitol Street and K Street NE, north of Union Station, according to the Metropolitan Police Department Twitter account.
Power is expected to be restored to the affected Pepco customers around 5:00 p.m.
