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The Capital Grid Project: Bringing Diverse Talent Together to Increase Reliability

Pepco’s proposed Capital Grid project promotes enhanced reliability and a stronger system for our customers in the District of Columbia and Maryland, while also increasing opportunities for local minority, women, veteran, and disabled businesses and contractors.

As a company with deep roots and a strong commitment to empower the communities we serve, we are eager to work with local, diverse contractors and suppliers to bring the Capital Grid project to life. Our recent Supplier Forum brought together more than 100 diverse businesses to learn about the project and potential business opportunities.

“This forum is about forging new partnerships,” said Dave Velazquez, president and CEO of Pepco Holdings. “Hiring local suppliers is our way of tapping the very best talent from our communities – men and women who live and work here and who are just as invested in strengthening this community as Pepco is.” Pepco Holdings CEO, Dave Velazquez

There are many trades needed to make this project successful. The forum provided an opportunity to help attendees better understand the project and overall needs, and build the relationships to launch successful bids for work on it.

“The Capital Grid Supplier Forum was a major hit. I was able to meet some of the key decision makers from the Pepco and Exelon team, as well as top industry contractors,” said forum attendee, Keith McDuffie, president and CEO of J. L. Terrell Construction. “I look forward to the relationships that will be formed with other companies that also attended this event.”

“We want to make sure that our potential partners have what they need to form, or strengthen a relationship with us that is mutually beneficial, and beneficial to our customers and greater community,” said William Von Hoene, Jr., senior vice president and chief strategy officer for Exelon, Pepco’s parent company. “We understand that a diverse and inclusive approach is key for us to remain relevant and successful in the changing energy landscape.”

Our company-wide commitment to supplier diversity has deep roots, and last August, Exelon was inducted into the Billion Dollar Roundtable, a national advocacy organization that promotes corporate supplier diversity excellence. Pepco Holdings also received recognition from the Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council for our efforts in advancing supplier diversity.