Penn Power, a FirstEnergy electric company in western Pennsylvania, continues to expand its smart grid to reinforce the local power system and help prevent lengthy service disruptions, especially during severe weather.
The company said on November 18 that work includes installation of new, automated equipment and technology in distribution substations and along neighborhood power lines serving more than 20,000 customers.
The work – expected to be completed in December – is part of Penn Power’s second phase Long Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan (LTIIP II)
Penn Power is installing nearly 30 new reclosers in substations and along distribution powerlines. The company is also installing automated voltage regulators to help evenly distribute electricity to homes and businesses.
Lastly, additional power lines are being constructed to provide more flexibility in restoring outages due to events such as storms and vehicle accidents. The new power lines will help reduce the length and overall number of customers impacted during an outage by switching them to a backup line for faster service restoration.
This work builds upon system upgrades that were completed in recent years across Penn Power’s service area, including the installation of more than 200 automated reclosing devices in rural, tree-filled communities, and the addition of interior fencing in four substations to help deter climbing animals and protect against electrical equipment interference that can cause power outages.
Penn Power serves more than 160,000 customers in western Pennsylvania.
