Poll: Only 6 Percent of DC Voters Support Proposed Pepco-Exelon Merger
Support particularly low in Ward 4, Northeast and Southeast DC
WASHINGTON, DC – The first poll conducted to test DC voters’ support for the proposed buyout of Pepco by Chicago-based Exelon shows extremely low support for the merger. Only six percent of likely voters in DC expressed support, with 44 percent opposing the proposed purchase of Pepco by Exelon for $6.8 billion.
The poll was released on the first day of the DC Public Service Commission’s formal evidentiary hearings on the proposed merger. It showed that support for Exelon buying Pepco is particularly low in Wards 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, ranging from 7 percent support in Ward 8 to 4 percent support in Wards 6 and 7. Overall, 59 percent of DC likely voters are aware of the proposed merger.
“This new data shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that DC residents do not want Pepco to be sold to Exelon,” said Delvone Michael, Director of DC Working Families. “If a candidate for public office polls at six percent, they drop out of the race the next day. Unfortunately Exelon isn’t going to drop out. It’s up to the DC Public Service Commission to recognize what DC residents already know – this is a bad deal for the District.”
The poll was conducted by Crossroads Campaigns on behalf of Power DC on January 31 and February 2, with a sample of 731 DC likely voters, defined as registered voters who participated in at least one primary vote in 2014. The poll has a margin of error of approximately +/- 4%. More details on the poll are available at http://goo.gl/rZg67a.
The poll also found:
The DC Public Service Commission (PSC) has until April 1, 2015, to decide whether to approve the proposed merger. The decision rests on the PSC’s determination of whether the proposed merger is “in the public interest.”
ABOUT POWER DC: Power DC is a coalition of DC citizens, business leaders and community advocates opposed to the purchase of Pepco by Exelon. Its members represent electricity customers from across the District of Columbia concerned about electricity prices, reliability,renewable and efficient energy and local control over our energy supply. More information is available at www.PowerDC.org and https://twitter.com/PowerDCnow.
WASHINGTON, DC – The first poll conducted to test DC voters’ support for the proposed buyout of Pepco by Chicago-based Exelon shows extremely low support for the merger. Only six percent of likely voters in DC expressed support, with 44 percent opposing the proposed purchase of Pepco by Exelon for $6.8 billion.
The poll was released on the first day of the DC Public Service Commission’s formal evidentiary hearings on the proposed merger. It showed that support for Exelon buying Pepco is particularly low in Wards 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, ranging from 7 percent support in Ward 8 to 4 percent support in Wards 6 and 7. Overall, 59 percent of DC likely voters are aware of the proposed merger.
“This new data shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that DC residents do not want Pepco to be sold to Exelon,” said Delvone Michael, Director of DC Working Families. “If a candidate for public office polls at six percent, they drop out of the race the next day. Unfortunately Exelon isn’t going to drop out. It’s up to the DC Public Service Commission to recognize what DC residents already know – this is a bad deal for the District.”
The poll was conducted by Crossroads Campaigns on behalf of Power DC on January 31 and February 2, with a sample of 731 DC likely voters, defined as registered voters who participated in at least one primary vote in 2014. The poll has a margin of error of approximately +/- 4%. More details on the poll are available at http://goo.gl/rZg67a.
The poll also found:
- 78.4 percent of DC likely voters want more choices for the source of their electricity, including “renewable energy sources like wind and solar.” Exelon has opposed policies that support solar and wind at the federal level and in more than half a dozen states including Maryland.
- 65.2 percent of DC likely voters support the District’s sustainability plan, which aims to reduce DC’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2032. Exelon has not committed to support the sustainability plan.
- 43.9 percent of DC likely voters think their electric bill is too high, while 35% think it is “fair.” Recent studies by regional utility regulator PJM and independent think tank IEEFA have warned that if Exelon buys Pepco, it will “likely result in higher costs for customers” (PJM) and “expose customers to rate increases aimed at supporting Exelon’s struggling business model” (IEEFA).
- DC likely voters are split on nuclear energy, with a plurality opposing it. Only 23.2% believe nuclear is “safe and a good source of energy for Washington, DC,” while 39 percent disagree and 37.8 percent are unsure. Exelon is the nation’s largest nuclear power provider, with 23 nuclear plants in its fleet.
The DC Public Service Commission (PSC) has until April 1, 2015, to decide whether to approve the proposed merger. The decision rests on the PSC’s determination of whether the proposed merger is “in the public interest.”
ABOUT POWER DC: Power DC is a coalition of DC citizens, business leaders and community advocates opposed to the purchase of Pepco by Exelon. Its members represent electricity customers from across the District of Columbia concerned about electricity prices, reliability,renewable and efficient energy and local control over our energy supply. More information is available at www.PowerDC.org and https://twitter.com/PowerDCnow.
