Activists demand Exelon take action on PECO’s failures

WILMINGTON – On Tuesday, April 30th, EQAT members brought our truth and persistent demand for justice to Exelon’s (PECO’s parent company) annual shareholder meeting, which was held in Wilmington, DE this year. As PECO’s parent company, Exelon is responsible for its failures. Outside the meeting we displayed our giant report card and pie graphs, props that helped us tell our story – that as PECO’s parent company, Exelon has to take care of PECO’s failing grade in transitioning to sustainable solar power.

In addition to gathering outside, a group of seven people associated with EQAT went inside the hotel conference room where Exelon executives, board members, and shareholders were gathering. These seven individuals each spoke in turn, bringing truth to the proceedings and highlighting PECO’s failure to transition to sustainable solar power and create local jobs in the solar installation field. The pressure we applied resulted in Exelon’s CEO, Chris Crane, agreeing to meet with EQAT and POWER to discuss our concerns, which is a notable advancement after three and a half years of sustained pressure by our groups.

The pressure we applied on April 30th will continue to be applied in the days, weeks, and months ahead. We will be engaging multiple stakeholders, including Philadelphia city council members, to ensure that PECO, which extracts over $1 million a day in profits from the Philadelphia region to send to Chicago-based Exelon, creates green jobs and local solar.

Power Local Green Jobs is a faith-based economic justice campaign led by Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) and Philadelphians Organized to Witness Empower and Rebuild (POWER). Begun in 2015, the campaign uses nonviolent direct action to pressure PECO, the largest utility in PA, to spur job growth through solar expansion in areas with high unemployment. Learn more at www.powerinterfaith.org and www.eqat.org.