Work Underway to Enhance Electric Service Reliability for FirstEnergy's West Virginia Customers

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Oct 16, 2024, 09:52 ET

Nearly 8,700 customers in rural communities to benefit from the projects

FAIRMONT, W.Va., Oct. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mon Power and Potomac Edison, subsidiaries of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), are on track to complete five projects by the end of 2024 that will enhance electric service reliability for nearly 8,700 customers in rural communities by reducing the number and duration of outages they experience, particularly during severe weather.

The projects are part of a three-year West Virginia infrastructure investment pilot program approved earlier this year by the Public Service Commission of West Virginia as part of the companies' base rate review proceeding.

Potomac Edison Logo (PRNewsfoto/FirstEnergy Corp.)

The program benefits rural communities through reliability projects, such as constructing backup power lines that will help keep the lights on for customers if wires or equipment on their regular line are damaged or need to be taken out of service. The companies are also relocating hard-to-access power lines to more accessible or less forested areas that will help reduce restoration time if a service disruption does occur.

Jim Myers, Vice President of FirstEnergy's West Virginia and Maryland Operations: "Our three-year infrastructure investment pilot program will make a meaningful impact for customers in our rural communities by reducing their exposure to outages and helping ensure they have safe, reliable power to support their lives."

Representing $1.5 million in infrastructure investments, the projects scheduled to be complete and in service by the end of 2024 include:

Berkeley County: Reinforcing and rewiring a 1.8-mile backup power line, benefiting 2,577 Potomac Edison customers in Inwood.
Marion, Monongalia and Preston counties: Relocating a half-mile length of power line from a ravine to a more accessible and less forested area. The relocation will make the line accessible via bucket truck and will decrease the time needed to repair damage and restore service. The project will benefit 2,091 customers located in Fairmont, Gladesville, Hebron and Ringgold.
Nicholas County: Converting 2.2 miles of a power line from a 4-kilovolt (kV) voltage to 12-kV, enhancing reliability for 821 customers in Richwood.
Pocahontas and Greenbrier counties: Relocating a half-mile length of power line from a cliffside to a more accessible area. The relocation will decrease the time needed to restore service and will benefit 1,707 customers in Renick, Modoc, Rorer, Horrock, Droop, Spice and Hillsboro.
Summers County: Relocating a mile of power line from a cliffside to a more accessible area. The relocation will decrease the time needed to restore service and will benefit 1,472 customers in Browning, Wiggins and Forest Hill.

Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Follow Mon Power at mon-power.com, on X @MonPowerWV, and on Facebook at facebook.com/MonPowerWV.

Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in seven counties in Maryland and 155,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison at potomacedison.com, on X @PotomacEdison, and on Facebook at facebook.com/PotomacEdison.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.