Penn Power Installing New Automated Devices to Help Reduce Duration of Power Outages
NEW CASTLE, Pa., May 28, 2019 -- The Pennsylvania Power Company (Penn Power) is installing 120 new "TripSaver" automated reclosing devices on power lines across Crawford, Lawrence and Mercer counties to help limit the frequency and duration of service interruptions. The electrical device works like a circuit breaker in a home with the added benefit of automatically re-energizing a power line within seconds to keep power safely flowing to customers.
TripSavers are installed on local neighborhood power lines that branch from the main power line serving an area. When there is a temporary issue on the neighborhood line, such as a tree limb blowing into the line, the TripSaver responds in seconds, sensing when the branch is gone and automatically re-energizing the line to prevent an extended outage in the neighborhood. It also safely isolates the outage from the main power line, helping to avoid outages to customers across a larger area.
If the TripSaver senses a more serious issue, like a fallen tree on the power line, it will isolate the outage to that area and limit the total number of affected customers. The device's smart technology will quickly pinpoint the location of the fault and help utility personnel better understand the cause of the outage to help speed restoration.
"TripSavers allow us to automatically restore service to customers rather than sending a crew to investigate, which is especially helpful in rural areas," said Ed Shuttleworth, regional president of Ohio Edison and Penn Power. "This automated technology is safer and saves time and money."
To determine the best locations for these devices, utility personnel reviewed outage patterns across Penn Power's service area and identified outage-prone areas in Crawford, Lawrence and Mercer counties that would benefit from a TripSaver. The company is on track to complete all 120 installations by late fall of this year.
A video of utility personnel explaining and installing a TripSaver device can be found on YouTube.
Penn Power is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) and serves more than 160,000 customers in all or parts of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Lawrence and Mercer counties in western Pennsylvania. Follow Penn Power on Twitter @Penn_Power, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennPower, and online at www.pennpower.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 more than 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.
Editor's Note: Photos of Penn Power crews installing the TripSaver devices are available for download on Flickr.
CONTACT: Lauren Siburkis, (330) 203-8850