Met-Ed’s 2021 Tree Trimming Program to Enhance Service Reliability

READING, Pa., April 7, 2021 -- Met-Ed, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), continues to conduct tree trimming work in communities across its service area in Pennsylvania as part of its ongoing efforts to help enhance electric service reliability.

Since the beginning of the year, tree contractors have trimmed along about 650 miles of distribution and transmission lines in the Met-Ed area as part of the company's $28 million vegetation management program for 2021. Met-Ed's program remains on schedule to complete an additional 2,550 miles of work by year end.

The work includes inspecting vegetation near the lines to ensure trees are pruned in a manner that helps preserve the health of the tree, while also maintaining safety near electric facilities. Trees that present a danger or are diseased also may be removed.

"Trimming trees around our power lines is critical in our mission to provide reliable electric service for our customers," said Linda Moss, regional president, Met-Ed. "The work is paying off. In 2020, Met-Ed experienced 11 percent fewer tree-related outages than in 2019."  

Met-Ed is scheduled in 2021 to trim trees along transmission lines and distribution circuits in the following counties and areas:

• Adams – Gettysburg, Hanover, Mount Joy Township, Straban Township
• Berks – Adamstown, Bethel Township, Bernville, Boyertown, Frystown, Leesport, Maxatawny Township, Reading, Topton
• Bucks – Bridgeton Township, Ottsville, Tinicum Township
• Dauphin – Grantsville
• Lebanon – Lebanon, Rexmont, Cornwall, Fredericksburg, Bethel Township, Swatara Township, Myerstown, Jackson Township
• Lehigh – Weisenberg Township
• Monroe – Marshalls Creek, Shawnee, Stroudsburg, Water Gap
• Montgomery –   Hanover Township, New Hanover
• Northampton – Belfast, Plainfield Township, Clearfield, Bushkill Township, Easton, Upper Mount Bethel Township
• York – West Manchester Township, Spring Garden Township, York, Menges Mills, Windsor Township  

As part of its notification process, Met-Ed works with municipalities to inform them of tree trimming schedules. In addition, customers living in areas along company rights-of-way are notified prior to vegetation management work being done. 

The vegetation management work is conducted by certified forestry experts under the company's direction, including: Aerial Solutions, Asplundh Tree Expert Company, Davey Tree Expert Company, Lewis Tree Service, Nelson Tree Service Inc., Rotor Blade, Treesmiths and York Tree Service Inc.

Met-Ed serves approximately 570,000 customers within 3,300 square miles of eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania. Follow Met-Ed on Twitter @Met Ed and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MetEdElectric.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, 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. Visit FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

Editor's Note:  Photos of workers using bucket trucks to trim trees near FirstEnergy power lines are available for download on Flickr. A video explaining FirstEnergy's vegetation management techniques can also be found on YouTube.