The U.S. Department of Energy's Grid Deployment Office has awarded $50 million in federal funding to FirstEnergy for projects to improve electric service reliability for more than 53,000 Mon Power and Potomac Edison customers in West Virginia and Maryland.
The funding, part of the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will be applied for system upgrades totaling nearly $127 million, benefiting approximately 50,660 customers in West Virginia and 2,500 customers in Maryland.
The work across 19 counties, expected to be completed in late 2029, will be implemented by FirstEnergy electric companies Mon Power and Potomac Edison.
The planned upgrades will involve the installation of new technology and equipment to help reduce the number and duration of outages experienced by customers in the counties. They will also benefit more than 450 critical facilities like schools and hospitals by improving electric service reliability.
The planned upgrades include:
- Installation of smart devices on power lines allowing operators to remotely isolate the damage and reduce the number of customers affected by outages.
- Automation projects allowing utility personnel to automatically switch customers to an adjacent power line in the event of outages.
- Installation of new wires carrying increased electrical current, making the lines capable of serving as a backup power feed for adjacent lines while repairs are made during an outage.
While the upgrades are expected to benefit approximately 47,260 customers in Barbour, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Greenbrier, Harrison, Lewis, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randoloph, Roane, Tucker, Upshur, Webster, Wetzel and Wood counties in Mon Power's service area, they will help about 3,400 customers in Berkeley, Jefferson and Mineral counties in West Virginia and 2,500 customers in Western Maryland in Potomac Edison's service area.
The project will also create of a four-year apprenticeship program with training centers in Williamsport, Maryland, and Fairmont, West Virginia.
