FirstEnergy subsidiary Met-Ed has installed a new transformer at its substation near Third and Willow streets in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
The installation aims to improve power reliability for more than 7,000 customers in Lebanon, North Lebanon Township, and West Lebanon Township.
The upgrade became necessary after the previous transformer at the substation failed in early June and could not be repaired. A mobile substation provided temporary service to customers in the area until the new transformer was installed to help ensure long-term grid stability.
The new transformer, which measures 13 feet tall, 12 feet wide, and weighs over 100,000 pounds, was installed over the course of three weeks. A crane was used to move the equipment into place, and crews worked to connect it to the substation’s electrical systems. The transformer was energized in late July, and the mobile substation has since been disconnected.
“Resolving this critical issue was a top priority, and we expect this to strengthen the reliability of electric service provided to our Lebanon customers,” said John Hawkins, FirstEnergy's President, Pennsylvania. “We engineered a solution, identified a spare transformer with the capacity to handle the electrical load and put our crews to work to safely and quickly install the unit.”
Met-Ed's substation near Third and Willow streets is particularly important because it supplies electricity to the underground distribution network that powers much of Lebanon's core downtown.
The company also plans additional upgrades, including the installation of another transformer at a West Lebanon substation within the next 18 to 24 months. These efforts are part of FirstEnergy’s broader grid modernization programEnergize365, which aims to update the electrical system to meet increasing demand from electric vehicles and renewable energy sources.
Met-Ed serves approximately 592,000 customers across 3,300 square miles in eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania.
