Pardon LL for interrupting the Pepco love-fest going on. The previously much-maligned electric utility  just received a hearty “attaboy” from Mayor Vince Gray and other city officials at a news conference.

“I don’t know what they could have done better,” says Gray.

LL does: not been so crappy to begin with.

It’s a testament to just how slipshod Pepco’s record has been in keeping the lights on that any performance on their part that resembles that of a competent electric utility garners praise. Yes, Sandy was a monster storm; but in the D.C. region, it wasn’t that bad. Not that many trees fell, and there was no massive flooding like further north. Given those circumstances, it’s entirely reasonable to expect the monopoly that provides you electricity to have a small number of power outages. And that’s exactly what happened.

So congratulations, Pepco, for defying (this time) the amazingly low expectations you set with your lengthy record of poor performance.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery