FirstEnergy Upgrades High-Voltage Power Line in Clark County

Installation of new wood poles and wires to enhance service reliability for area customers

AKRON, Ohio, June 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- American Transmission Systems, Inc. (ATSI), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has upgraded a high-voltage transmission line in Clark County, Ohio, to reinforce the regional transmission system and enhance service reliability for approximately 35,000 customers in the area.

The 69-kilovolt transmission line stretches just over 11 miles northeast through Springfield Township and Moorefield Township, with sections of the line running parallel to Interstate 68. To fortify and strengthen the line and help prevent unplanned outages due to severe weather, ATSI replaced 105 wood poles along six miles of the route and installed five new steel poles on foundations. The company also installed new wires along a portion of the route and made equipment upgrades at four substations that connect to the line.

"With newly installed poles and equipment, this upgraded line will be better able to withstand severe weather, reducing the number and duration of unplanned outages for customers in the Springfield area," said Carl Bridenbaugh, FirstEnergy's vice president of Transmission.

Construction on the $20 million project started in August 2022 and was completed in June.

The project is part of Energizing the Future, a multi-year initiative designed to upgrade FirstEnergy's transmission system with advanced equipment and technologies that will reinforce the power grid and help reduce the frequency and duration of customer outages. Since 2014, FirstEnergy has upgraded or replaced existing power lines, incorporated smart technology into the grid and upgraded dozens of substations with new equipment and enhanced security features. Through 2022, FirstEnergy has invested more than $10 billion in the Energizing the Future initiative.

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 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.