Penelec Boosts Service Reliability with Summer Preparations in Pennsylvania

Penelec, a FirstEnergy subsidiary, is enhancing service reliability by inspecting and maintaining equipment across its 31-county northern and central Pennsylvania service area for the upcoming hot summer months. Crews are completing inspections of the local energy delivery system to ensure reliable performance during high electric usage and potential severe weather.

Substation electricians use thermovision cameras for summer-readiness inspections, capturing infrared images to detect equipment problems like loose connections, corrosion, and load imbalances. Repairs are made to prevent future power outages.

Helicopter patrols have inspected over 2,500 miles of power lines owned by Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission (MAIT), a FirstEnergy subsidiary in the Penelec area, looking for damages and hardware issues not visible from the ground. Identified reliability concerns will be addressed.

Tree trimming is also underway in eastern Pennsylvania communities to maintain clearances around electrical equipment, reducing tree-related power outages during severe weather. Contractors have trimmed about 1,600 miles of power lines this year, with 2,200 more miles scheduled for completion.

Penelec and FirstEnergy employees will conduct storm readiness exercises to test the restoration process for storm-related power outages. These drills are becoming more common in the utility industry due to severe weather events in recent years.