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Overworked Electric Utility Workers On Call For Yet Another Major Storm

By John McDevitt

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- PECO electrical crews are bracing for another winter whammy.

PECO says it amassed the largest work force ever in its history for the last storm. There were 6,800 PECO crews, private contractors and visiting utility workers from as far away as Canada.

PECO spokesman Fred Maher says the number of outside crews available for the upcoming storm is in question.

"PECO will try to keep those folks on our system as long as possible," he tells KYW Newsradio. "However if their home utility calls them back, their first obligation is to work with their home utility."

Maher says that even though Atlanta, Ga. is facing major winter woes for the second time in two weeks, PECO crews will not be assisting there because of the forecast for this region.

"We have to make sure we take care of our own system first," he says.

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