Dear Colleagues,

I know 2020 has been a very difficult year for so many, and I can’t thank you enough for your commitment to our essential work and to your safety, as well as the health and safety of those around you. At the same time, the rapid increase we are currently seeing in infection and hospitalization rates, along with the experts’ outlook for a bad COVID winter, alarms me a great deal and drives the need for all of us to act.

Exelon’s action: We will again postpone the beginning of Phase 1 of the Responsible Re-entry plan until at least Memorial Day (May 31, 2021).

Let me explain how we came to this decision.

Leadership across Exelon has reviewed the criteria we’re using to determine the best time to launch Phase 1. Our considerations include everything from employee absentee numbers and COVID case numbers to rates of infection and hospital capacity in major locations where we operate. As the situation evolves, so must our criteria, plans and process.

Given this data, and the fact that we are seeing such an increase of COVID-19 in states across the U.S. -- and even higher increases in infection rates among employees (nearly all exposures coming from outside work) -- it is in everyone’s best interest to delay the beginning of Phase 1 until later in 2021. The health and safety precautions we’ve implemented at our facilities are effective in preventing the spread of the virus to our employees whose jobs require them to be in the field or working at one of our locations, but it just doesn’t make sense to bring more people in right now, unless there is a critical business need.

Your action: Do everything you can to prevent catching and spreading the virus. If your job requires you to come to a company or field location, it’s up to you to avoid bringing the virus to your workplace. If you’re working remotely, reach out to other remote-enabled workers. We haven’t been together for a long time, and we need to stay in touch, support and encourage each other. Continue to focus on your health, and the health of your family and coworkers. Follow the advice of public health experts: wear a mask and wear it the right way, keep social distance, and avoid large gatherings and other high-risk situations like bars and restaurants. It’s up to all of us to be careful and stay safe!

Leadership Action: By Memorial Day, it will have been more than 14 months since some remote-enabled teams and co-workers have been together. As always, it’s leadership’s job to keep teams informed, engaged and connected, both to the work and to each other. So, we will double down on maintaining that connection with you in every way we can in these very unusual circumstances.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to let you know how grateful the entire Executive Committee and I are for each one of you. You are consummate professionals and demonstrate every day your commitment to your coworkers, customers and communities. Even during this unusual holiday season, I hope you have a chance to reflect on everything for which you are thankful and know how much we appreciate you.

We will get through this together.

Chris