Inspection and Maintenance Work Nears Completion to Enhance Service Reliability in Penelec's Service Area for Customers Through Summer Season

Rhea-AI Summary

FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company (FE PA), known as Penelec, is wrapping up inspections and proactive maintenance to enhance service reliability during the summer. Penelec's efforts include thermovision inspections using infrared technology, helicopter patrols over 2,500 miles of power lines, and tree trimming along 1,225 miles with an additional 3,000 miles planned. These measures aim to increase system readiness for higher electrical demand and reduce the impact of power outages. The company also offers tips for customers to manage energy bills and cope with rising temperatures.

Positive

• Completion of inspections and maintenance is expected to enhance service reliability during summer.
• Thermovision inspections use advanced technology to preemptively identify and address potential equipment issues.
• Helicopter patrols inspected over 2,500 miles of power lines, enhancing visibility and maintenance.
• Tree trimming along 1,225 miles with an additional 3,000 miles planned helps reduce tree-related outages.
• Storm-readiness exercises and drills conducted to improve response to storm-related power outages.

Negative

• None.

Company offers tips for customers to manage rising temperatures and energy costs

ERIE, Pa., June 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With the hot, humid summer months expected to produce higher electric usage and potentially severe weather, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company (FE PA), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) doing business in northern and central Pennsylvania as Penelec, is completing inspections and conducting proactive equipment maintenance across its service area to help enhance service reliability for customers.

John Hawkins, FirstEnergy's President, Pennsylvania: "We proactively inspect and maintain our equipment to help ensure our system is prepared for increased electrical demand when temperatures climb. These important measures will also help to minimize the length and impact of service interruptions should summer storms cause power outages."

Penelec crews are wrapping up inspections of its local energy delivery system to ensure electrical equipment is ready to perform reliably with elevated summer electrical demand, typically due to air conditioning usage.

Substation electricians use thermovision cameras during summer-readiness inspections to capture infrared images, helping to detect potential problems within substations and on power lines that cannot be observed during regular visual inspections. These images can identify equipment issues such as loose connections, corrosion and load imbalances, and utility workers are able to make repairs to prevent potential power outages in the future.

Watch a video on the company's YouTube channel of utility personnel conducting a thermovision inspection.

In addition, helicopter patrols have completed inspections of more than 2,500 miles of power lines owned by Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC (MAIT), a FirstEnergy Corp. transmission subsidiary, located in the Penelec area. The inspections identify damaged wire, broken cross arms and other hardware problems not visible from the ground. Any potential reliability issues identified during the inspections will be addressed.

Since the beginning of the year, tree contractors have trimmed along 1,225 miles of power lines as part of FirstEnergy's vegetation management program in the Penelec area. Work remains on schedule to complete an additional 3,000 miles by the end of the year. Maintaining proper clearances around electrical equipment is critical to providing safe, reliable electric service and can help reduce the frequency and duration of tree-related power outages, especially those associated with severe weather.

Trees are being trimmed in these counties and communities:

• Bedford – Bedford
• Blair – Altoona, East Freedom, Claysburg, Roaring Spring
• Bradford – Towanda, Troy
• Cambria –Spangler, Williamsburg
• Clearfield – Dubois, Treasure Lake, Rockton, Mahaffey, Westover, Madara
• Crawford – Canadohta Lake, Centerville, Titusville, Meadville, Blooming Valley
• Erie – Union City, Erie, Lake City, Northeast, Wesleyville, Edinboro
• Franklin – Spring Run, Dry Run, Roxbury, Fannettsburg
• Huntingdon – Mapleton
• Indiana – Heilwood
• Jefferson – Brookville, Timblin
• Juniata – Honey Grove
• McKean – Lewis Run
• Mifflin – Milroy, Strodes Mills
• Somerset – Friedens, Ralphton, Pennmar
• Susquehanna – Brooklyn, Great Bend, Thompson,
• Tioga – Wellsboro, Tioga, Lawrenceville, Ansonia
• Venango –Franklin, Barkeyville, Polk
• Warren – Warren, Clarendon, Sheffield
• Wyoming – Laceyville, Nicholson, Tunkhannock

In addition to equipment inspections and maintenance, Penelec recently conducted storm-readiness exercises and drills to test the restoration process used to repair storm-related power outages. Storm drills are becoming more common in the utility industry in the wake of severe weather over the last several years.  

With the summer storm season also comes higher-than-usual temperatures and rising energy costs. Customers can take steps to beat the heat while also managing their electricity bill this summer. The following tips can help customers use electricity wisely during this period of high demand:

• Set thermostats as high as comfort will allow.
• Use fans – moving air cools skin faster, resulting in greater comfort on hot days.
• During sunny weather, close drapes or blinds on windows facing the sun to prevent direct radiant heating from impacting interior temperatures.
• Use a programmable or smart thermostat to keep temperatures higher when no one is home and to reduce the temperature before arrival back home.
• Seal any leaks with caulk or weather stripping to prevent hot air from sneaking into your home.
• Check air conditioner and furnace fan filters. Clogged filters waste energy and money by forcing HVAC systems to work harder than necessary.
• Avoid using heat-producing appliances during the hottest hours of the day. The less heat produced at home, the less work the air conditioner must do.
• Payment arrangements and assistance programs are available for customers who need help with their electric bills. For more information, visit firstenergycorp.com/billassist.

Penelec serves approximately 597,000 customers within 17,600 square miles of northern and central Pennsylvania. Follow Penelec on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Penelec and on Facebook at facebook.com/PenelecElectric.

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 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.

Editor's Note: Photos of workers conducting thermovision inspections to enhance service reliability for FirstEnergy customers are available for download on Flickr.

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

FAQ

What measures is Penelec taking to enhance service reliability in summer 2024?

Penelec is completing inspections, proactive equipment maintenance, thermovision inspections, helicopter patrols, and tree trimming to enhance service reliability.

How many miles of power lines were inspected by helicopter patrols in Penelec's area?

Helicopter patrols inspected over 2,500 miles of power lines in Penelec's service area.

What technology is Penelec using for summer readiness inspections?

Penelec is using thermovision cameras to capture infrared images and detect potential equipment problems during summer readiness inspections.

How is Penelec addressing tree-related power outages?

Penelec has trimmed trees along 1,225 miles of power lines and plans to complete an additional 3,000 miles by the end of the year to reduce tree-related outages.

What tips does Penelec offer to manage energy bills during hot weather?

Penelec advises setting thermostats high, using fans, closing drapes, using programmable thermostats, sealing leaks, checking air filters, and avoiding heat-producing appliances during peak hours.