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

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.

Key Figures

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

7 metrics

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

Market Reality Check

Price: $49.35 Vol: Volume 6,051,848 is 15% a...

normal vol

$49.35 Last Close

Volume Volume 6,051,848 is 15% above the 20-day average of 5,282,164, indicating elevated trading interest before this reliability update. normal

Technical Shares at $49.35 are trading above the 200-day MA of $44.07 and sit 2.16% below the 52-week high of $50.44.

Peers on Argus

FE fell 1.5% with key regulated electric peers also down: AEE -1.21%, ES -2.63%,...

FE fell 1.5% with key regulated electric peers also down: AEE -1.21%, ES -2.63%, EIX -1.27%, PPL -1.13%, WEC -0.78%, indicating a sector-wide defensive move despite company-specific grid investments.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Feb 17 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Feb 17	Earnings and outlook	Positive	-1.5%	2025 results at top of guidance and unveiling $36B 2026–2030 capital plan.
Feb 17	PIPP auction notice	Neutral	-1.5%	Ohio PIPP RFP auction timeline for June 2026–May 2027 supply period.
Feb 12	Reliability project update	Positive	+1.9%	$95M New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project showing >80% outage reduction.
Feb 11	Dividend increase	Positive	+1.9%	Quarterly dividend raised to $0.465 per share, implying $1.86 annual rate.
Feb 11	Customer safety advisory	Neutral	+0.6%	Warning on foil balloons after 96 outages in 2025 from balloon contacts.

Pattern Detected

Positive dividend and reliability announcements have recently coincided with modest gains, while the latest earnings and auction-related news saw a negative reaction.

Recent Company History

Over the past week, FirstEnergy has combined financial updates with operational and customer-focused initiatives. On Feb 11, the company increased its dividend to an implied $1.86 annually and highlighted serving over 6 million customers. Subsequent reliability work, including a $95 million project for JCP&L reported on Feb 12, aligned with positive price moves. Earnings and guidance on Feb 17, along with Ohio PIPP auction details, were followed by a -1.5% reaction. Today’s Berkeley County substation fits the broader reliability and grid-modernization narrative.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights a targeted reliability upgrade: a new substation in Berkeley County usi...

Analysis

This announcement highlights a targeted reliability upgrade: a new substation in Berkeley County using smart, automated technology to improve service for about 2,400 customers. The project is part of the broader Energize365 strategy, including a planned $36 billion 2026–2030 grid investment. Recent filings and prior reliability projects show a consistent focus on modernization. Investors may watch how these local projects roll into the larger capital plan and regulatory outcomes over time.

Key Terms

substation, transmission lines

2 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.

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.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

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

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.