On May 16, 2003, the Commission released its Opinion and Order (Order No. 12735), regarding its investigation into the cause or causes of manhole explosions and fires in the District of Columbia. The Commission adopted several measures for Pepco to implement to address the problems identified and documented by the Commission’s investigation.
The Commission required, among other things, that Pepco expand its ongoing manhole inspection effort from 5,000 manholes a year to 10,000 manholes a year in order to complete the inspection of all of its approximately 60,000 manholes every six (6) years. The Commission also required Pepco to prepare a plan and provide periodic reports on the implementation of remedial actions mandated by the Commission as a result of the investigation, as well as those undertaken by Pepco’s own initiative. Since the implementation of these requirements, Pepco has taken several remedial actions and instituted the reporting requirements mandated by the Commission.