Falling trees and branches caused most of the damage that led to extended power outages during February's severe snowstorms, representatives of Maryland electric utilities told state regulators Tuesday. The Maryland Public Service Commission heard testimony about the service restoration efforts during the storms. State regulations require utilities to file reports after major storms in which more than 10 percent or 100,000 of their customers lose power. More than 264,000 Pepco customers in Maryland were without power for an average of 13.6 hours, according to a summary by the Office of the People's Counsel. About 142,000 Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. customers lost power for an average of 8.1 hours. Several Pepco customers in Montgomery County testified that they see frequent outages during storms and questioned whether aging infrastructure could be a factor. Pepco officials blamed mature trees over power lines.

- Liz F. Kay