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Delmarva Power Giving Free Trees to Help Customers Save Energy

For the ninth year, Delmarva Power is supporting the Arbor Day Foundation’s Energy-Saving Trees program by giving away more than 1,000 trees to residential customers. This initiative helps customers conserve energy through strategic tree planting. Properly planted trees can provide a homeowner many benefits, such as reducing energy use through summer shading and by slowing winter winds. Throughout a tree’s growth period, trees have the potential to lower energy bills by 20 percent. According to the National Wildlife Federation, research demonstrates that exposure to trees has a relaxing effect on humans, reducing stress and impacting a sense of well-being, benefits we know many customers could take advantage of as the challenges of COVID-19 continue. Starting on Arbor Day, customers can reserve one free tree per household by visiting arborday.org/delmarva.

Customers can choose from a wide selection of trees, including Bald Cypress, Red Maple, River Birch, and White Oak—available in varying sizes.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and Stay at Home orders in Delaware and Maryland, all trees will be delivered directly to the customer’s home in a box with planting and care instructions four to six weeks after selecting their preferred choice online. Tree wills be available for Delmarva Power residential customers only on a first-come, first-served basis. Customers who don’t have internet access can call 855-670-2771 to reserve their trees. You can find more information during the reservation period.

Through the Arbor Day Foundation’s website, customers will have the power to explore interactive tools that can help them determine the best location on their property to plant their tree for energy savings benefits.

Trees provide benefits to a community by improving air and water quality, reducing stormwater runoff, reducing your carbon footprint, and adding to the visual appeal of a neighborhood. In fact, since 2012, Delmarva Power has provided over 10,430 trees for customers to plant, removing close to 153,000 lbs. of air pollutants from the atmosphere.

As always and especially with many people home due to COVID-19, anyone planning to plant their tree must call 811 a few days before beginning their dig to learn the approximate location of underground utility equipment. Taking the right steps before digging will help avoid accidental damage to underground lines that could disrupt services to surrounding neighbors and prevent potential injury from striking an underground electric, natural gas or other utility line. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a call to 811.

We encourage our customers to share a photo of themselves planting their tree or of their planted tree with us on social media, using the hashtag #DelmarvaPowerPlantsTrees.