FirstEnergy Nearing Completion of Transmission Line Upgrade in Northeast Ohio
Project will upgrade infrastructure serving customers in Portage and Trumbull counties
AKRON, Ohio, Dec. 8, 2020 -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) and its subsidiaries are nearing the completion of work to rebuild and modernize an existing 138-kilovolt (kV) power line expected to enhance service reliability for more than 100,000 Ohio Edison customers in Portage and Trumbull counties.
Rebuilding nearly 140 wooden and steel structures and installing new, higher-capacity conductor wires will reinforce the line against severe weather and help reduce outages on the transmission system. Fiber optic cable also will be added for enhanced network communications, allowing grid operators to react more quickly and effectively to disturbances on the system. The line extends approximately 20 miles to connect existing electric substations in Newton Falls and Ravenna. Construction activities are limited to the existing transmission corridor.
Line construction began in May, and the project is on track to be completed by the end of this year.
"Investing in our infrastructure is crucial because it will help reduce the number of customers impacted by storm outages as well as shorten the length of outages when they do occur," said Ed Shuttleworth, regional president of Ohio Edison and Penn Power. "By rebuilding an existing line, we can enhance our ability to serve customers, better manage maintenance expenses, and minimize the project's impact on local communities and the environment."
The project is part of Energizing the Future, a multi-year investment initiative aimed at upgrading FirstEnergy's transmission facilities with advanced equipment and technologies that will reinforce the power grid and help reduce the frequency and duration of customer outages. Since launching the initiative in 2014, FirstEnergy has achieved a 50% reduction in equipment-related transmission outages across its Ohio service area, as well as the Penn Power and West Penn Power territories in western Pennsylvania.
Ohio Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., serves more than one million customers across 34 Ohio counties. Follow Ohio Edison on Twitter @OhioEdison, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OhioEdison, and online at www.ohioedison.com.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter: @FirstEnergyCorp.
Editor's Note: Photos of utility personnel completing the transmission work are available for download on Flickr. A video of utility personnel upgrading the transmission line and explaining the work can be found on the company's YouTube channel.
CONTACT: Lauren Siburkis, (330) 203-8850