FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company, operating as Met-Ed in eastern Pennsylvania, is nearing completion of a key infrastructure upgrade aimed at strengthening grid reliability in northwestern York County. The work is part of a broader push to modernize electric delivery systems and prepare for increasing demand, especially during extreme weather conditions.
The project focuses on replacing 1.3 miles of aging copper wire with higher-capacity aluminum wire along a 13.2-kilovolt (kV) distribution line that serves approximately 300 customers in the Dillsburg area. The new wire is better equipped to handle growing load requirements while minimizing service interruptions.
Crews are also replacing 32 wooden poles, 149 porcelain insulators, 40 fuses, and numerous crossarms. Additionally, 49 animal guards are being installed to deter outages caused by squirrels and other wildlife contacting energized equipment.
“This proactive investment will help position our electric network to accommodate steady growth in York County, which has experienced an 8% increase in population since 2010,” said John Hawkins, president of FirstEnergy’s Pennsylvania operations.
The initiative is slated for completion later this month and is part of Met-Ed’s Long Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan (LTIIP III), a $382 million effort spanning five years to upgrade distribution assets and improve reliability for customers across the region.
LTIIP III falls under FirstEnergy’s broader Energize365 program — a $28 billion grid modernization strategy rolling out through 2029. The initiative focuses on building a smarter, more resilient electric system capable of supporting emerging technologies, such as electric vehicles and distributed energy resources, while meeting evolving customer expectations.
Met-Ed provides service to approximately 592,000 customers across 3,300 square miles of eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania.
