New Potomac Edison Substation Delivers More Reliable Power for Berkeley County Customers

FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) subsidiary Potomac Edison completed a new $6.6 million substation in Berkeley County, W.Va., finished in December, that already serves about 2,400 customers in Falling Waters and Spring Mills.

Rhea-AI Summary

FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) subsidiary Potomac Edison completed a new $6.6 million substation in Berkeley County, W.Va., finished in December, that already serves about 2,400 customers in Falling Waters and Spring Mills.

The smart, automated facility reduces outage size, speeds remote restoration and relieves capacity constraints from two older substations as part of the Energize365 investment program.

Positive

• 2,400 customers now served by the new substation
• $6.6 million capital investment completed in December
• Modern automated controls enable faster remote restoration
• Relieves capacity constraints from two near-capacity substations
• Project is part of $36 billion Energize365 grid investment (2026–2030)

Negative

• None.

Argus Feb 18 session

-0.83% close to close Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – FE

On Feb 18, the day this news came out, FE closed 0.83% below the previous close.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the Feb 18 session.

Key Figures

Customers impacted: 2,400 customers Substation cost: $6.6 million Grid investment plan: $36 billion +4 more

Customers impacted

2,400 customers

Homes and businesses gaining reliability from new Berkeley County substation

Substation cost

$6.6 million

Cost of new Potomac Edison substation project in Berkeley County

Grid investment plan

$36 billion

Planned 2026–2030 Energize365 capital program across service area

Maryland customers

285,000 customers

Potomac Edison customers in specified Maryland counties

West Virginia customers

155,000 customers

Potomac Edison customers in Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia

Total customers

more than six million

FirstEnergy customers across six U.S. states

Transmission network

24,000 miles

Length of FirstEnergy transmission lines connecting Midwest and Mid-Atlantic

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Feb 17

5 events

1. Feb 17

   Earnings and outlook

   24h Move

   -1.5%

   2025 results at top of guidance and unveiling $36B 2026–2030 capital plan.

2. Feb 17

   PIPP auction notice

   24h Move

   -1.5%

   Ohio PIPP RFP auction timeline for June 2026–May 2027 supply period.

3. Feb 12

   Reliability project update

   24h Move

   +1.9%

   $95M New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project showing >80% outage reduction.

4. Feb 11

   Dividend increase

   24h Move

   +1.9%

   Quarterly dividend raised to $0.465 per share, implying $1.86 annual rate.

5. Feb 11

   Customer safety advisory

   24h Move

   +0.6%

   Warning on foil balloons after 96 outages in 2025 from balloon contacts.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

substation, smart technology, automated technology, transmission lines, +1 more

5 terms

substation technical

"has completed a new substation in Berkeley County that is already making electric"

A substation is a fenced facility on the electricity network where equipment changes the voltage, routes power, and protects the grid so electricity can move safely and reliably from generation to homes and businesses. Investors care because substations are critical pieces of infrastructure: they affect service reliability, grid capacity and upgrade costs, and can influence the value and operating risk of utilities, real estate near outages, and companies in the energy supply chain.

smart technology technical

"The new facility uses modern, smart technology to help reduce outages and restore"

Smart technology uses sensors, data and software to make devices or systems sense, learn and act with little human input—like a thermostat that adapts to your schedule or a factory line that spots defects automatically. For investors it matters because these products and systems can lower operating costs, create new recurring revenue and competitive advantages, and concentrate value around companies that control the data, integration and ongoing service.

automated technology technical

"The new substation includes advanced, automated technology that helps:"

Systems and tools that carry out routine business tasks with little or no human intervention, using software, sensors, robots or programmed rules. Think of them like a self-service checkout that scans items, processes payment and updates inventory without a cashier; for investors they matter because they can speed operations, cut labor costs, reduce mistakes and enable faster scaling, which can boost margins, cash flow and company value.

transmission lines technical

"The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines"

High-voltage towers and cables that carry electricity from power plants to cities and substations, like highways that move energy rather than cars. For investors, transmission lines are long-lived, capital-intensive assets whose condition, capacity and regulatory treatment affect utility revenues, reliability and the ability to connect new generation; bottlenecks or upgrades can change costs, permit timelines and future returns.

investor-owned electric systems financial

"form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six"

Investor-owned electric systems are private, for-profit companies that generate, transmit or distribute electricity and are owned by shareholders rather than by the government or customers. They matter to investors because their earnings depend on regulated rates, infrastructure spending and customer demand—similar to a landlord who earns rent for maintaining a building—so changes in regulation, rate approvals or large capital projects can directly affect profits, dividends and stock value.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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New facility helps reduce outages and support growth for 2,400 customers

MARTINSBURG, W.Va., Feb. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Potomac Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has completed a new substation in Berkeley County that is already making electric service more reliable for about 2,400 homes and businesses. The new facility uses modern, smart technology to help reduce outages and restore power faster when problems occur.

Located near Spring Mills High School, the substation was completed in December and provides an additional power source for customers in the Falling Waters and Spring Mills areas. Until now, those customers were served by two substations that were nearing capacity. The new facility also helps support the county's continued growth as one of the fastest‑growing areas in the state.

Jim Myers, FirstEnergy's President, West Virginia and Maryland: "Berkeley County is growing fast, and it's important that our electric system grows with it. Reliable power is the backbone of thriving communities, and this substation reflects our commitment to our customers. With fewer outages, faster repairs and a strong grid, we're ensuring our customers have the dependable electricity they need."

Built for Faster Restoration
The new substation includes advanced, automated technology that helps:

• Spot issues quickly.
• Isolate problems to keep outages smaller.
• Restore service remotely, often without sending a crew.

Part of a Bigger Investment in Reliability
The $6.6 million substation project is part of Energize365, FirstEnergy's long-term investment program to modernize and strengthen the electric grid. FirstEnergy plans to invest $36 billion between 2026 and 2030 to build a smarter, more resilient grid that meets the evolving needs of communities across the service area.

Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in all or parts of Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery and Washington counties in Maryland and about 155,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison at potomacedison.com, on X @PotomacEdison, and on Facebook at facebook.com/PotomacEdison.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-potomac-edison-substation-delivers-more-reliable-power-for-berkeley-county-customers-302691828.html

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What did FirstEnergy (FE) announce about the new Berkeley County substation on February 18, 2026?

They announced completion of a $6.6 million substation serving about 2,400 customers near Spring Mills. According to the company, the facility finished in December and adds a modern power source to relieve two near-capacity substations.

How does the new Potomac Edison substation improve reliability for FE customers in Berkeley County?

It reduces outage size and speeds restoration using automated controls and remote switching. According to the company, the smart technology spots issues quickly, isolates problems and often restores service without dispatching a crew.

Which areas and how many customers does the new Potomac Edison substation support (FE)?

The substation serves Falling Waters and Spring Mills areas, covering about 2,400 homes and businesses. According to the company, it provides an additional power source for customers previously served by two near-capacity substations.

What is the cost and program context for the Berkeley County substation announced by FE?

The project cost was $6.6 million and is part of Energize365, FirstEnergy's long-term grid program. According to the company, Energize365 plans up to $36 billion of investment from 2026 to 2030.

When was the Berkeley County substation completed and when did it begin serving customers (FE)?

The substation was completed in December and is already serving customers in early 2026. According to the company, the facility finished in December and is providing an additional power source for local growth areas.

How does the new substation affect Potomac Edison's broader service area and growth plans (FE)?

It supports local growth by increasing capacity in a fast-growing county and strengthening grid resilience. According to the company, the facility helps meet rising demand while aligning with broader Energize365 modernization efforts.