Photo courtesy of Pepco

Waiting for your home or business’s power to get restored? Don’t count on getting it fixed later today. In a press release, Pepco reports that it could take days to repair the damage caused by last night’s storm that ripped through the D.C.-area:

After a severe storm such as this, assessing damage and estimating when customers will be restored could take more than 24 hours after the storm has passed.

All Pepco employees have a second role during emergencies and will participate in the restoration effort.

The utility is calling for crews from other utilities to assist with restoring service. However, the large magnitude of the storm has left utilities with millions of customers without electric service from the Midwest through the Mid-Atlantic regions. It is likely that crews who are able to assist will have to travel days to arrive.

On Twitter, Pepco has been actively hammering the same message. The company has also repeatedly warned customers to stay away from downed power lines, as well as report the damage to 1-877-737-2662. Pepco has also been sending similar replies to concerned customers requesting repair updates in their neighborhood:

@DrummondsWorld We are currently conducting a full damage assessment. Thank you for your patience.

— Pepco (@PepcoConnect) June 30, 2012

Another way customers can report electrical damage is to use Pepco’s mobile app on their smart phones.

Need a cool place to stay, the company’s Facebook page has a list of cooling centers in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably among the lucky ones with power (or already inside a place that has electricity). But if you have friends or family members who are in need of a cool place to stay as they wait for their power to get restored, invite them to stay over for a few days.