Work Completed to Upgrade Electric System in Northwest Pennsylvania

Rhea-AI Summary

FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company (Penelec) has completed infrastructure upgrades in Venango and Crawford counties to enhance service reliability for nearly 1,000 customers. The project involved replacing over 40 wood poles, 53 crossarms, and 700 porcelain insulators along a 13-mile, 34.5-kV power line connecting substations in Utica and Polk.

The improvements include new switches for better power rerouting during repairs and a remote-control switch in Utica. This work is part of Penelec's $538 million Long Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan (LTIIP III) and falls under FirstEnergy's broader Energize365 program, which plans $28 billion in investments between 2025-2029 for grid modernization.

The upgraded line serves communities including Cochranton, Utica, and Polk, addressing equipment-related outages experienced over the past five years. The project, which began in November 2024, particularly benefits about 540 customers connected to the Polk substation.

Positive

• Infrastructure upgrade improves reliability for 1,000 customers
• Part of substantial $538M LTIIP III improvement initiative
• New remote-control switch enables faster response to outages
• Strategic investment in $28B Energize365 program (2025-2029)

Negative

• Line experienced multiple equipment-related outages over past 5 years

New poles and equipment to enhance electric service reliability for nearly 1,000 customers

ERIE, Pa., April 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company (FE PA), a FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) subsidiary doing business as Penelec in northern and central Pennsylvania, has completed work to enhance its energy delivery system in Venango and Crawford counties to help prevent or minimize the length of service disruptions, particularly during severe weather.

The project included replacing more than 40 wood poles, crossarms, fuses, switches and other equipment on a power line key to the delivery of electricity to nearly 1,000 customers in Cochranton, Utica, Polk and nearby communities. 

John Hawkins, FirstEnergy President, Pennsylvania: "Over time, severe weather takes a toll on exposed electrical infrastructure, and this project allows us to proactively address equipment that has served our customers well for many years but needed to be updated. Utility poles are the backbone of the distribution system, and this work should enhance the reliability of electric service for customers in these rural communities for years to come."

Crews replaced 42 poles, 53 crossarms and nearly 700 older porcelain insulators along a 13-mile, 34.5-kilovolt (kV) power line. The line connects a substation located along Route 322 north of Utica to a substation in Polk. The line rebuild included the replacement of two switches that allow line workers to isolate damage and temporarily reroute power to customers using nearby lines as repairs are made to reduce the scope and duration of service interruptions. A new remote-control switch that can be operated by distribution-system operators miles away replaces an older manual switch located on a pole on the north end of Utica that had required line crews to operate on site.

The project is designed to improve the performance of the line, which has experienced several equipment-related outages over the past five years. The reconstructed line also provides a more reliable feed to the substation in Polk, benefiting about 540 customers. The work began in November 2024 and was recently completed.

Photos of new poles and equipment on the rebuilt line are available for download on Flickr.

The project is part of Penelec's Long Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan (LTIIP III), a $538 million initiative to accelerate capital investments to the company's electric distribution system serving over five years to help ensure continued electric service reliability for customers.

LTIIP III is part of Energize365, a multi-year grid evolution program focused on transmission and distribution investments that will deliver the power FirstEnergy's customers depend on today while also meeting the challenges of tomorrow. With planned investments of $28 billion between 2025 and 2029, the program is creating a smarter, more secure grid that will meet and exceed reliability targets and accommodate electric vehicles, the electrification of homes and businesses and clean energy sources.

Penelec serves approximately 597,000 customers within 17,600 square miles of northern and central Pennsylvania and western New York. Follow Penelec on X @Penelec and on Facebook at facebook.com/PenelecElectric.

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. Visit FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and follow FirstEnergy on X @FirstEnergyCorp.

 

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

FAQ

What infrastructure improvements did FirstEnergy (FE) complete in Northwest Pennsylvania?

FE replaced 42 poles, 53 crossarms, and 700 insulators along a 13-mile power line, including new switches for better power management, serving nearly 1,000 customers in Cochranton, Utica, and Polk areas.

How much is FirstEnergy (FE) investing in its Energize365 program from 2025 to 2029?

FirstEnergy plans to invest $28 billion in its Energize365 program between 2025 and 2029 for grid modernization and reliability improvements.

What is the value of Penelec's LTIIP III infrastructure improvement plan?

Penelec's Long Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan (LTIIP III) is a $538 million initiative to accelerate capital investments in its electric distribution system over five years.

When did FirstEnergy (FE) begin and complete the Northwest Pennsylvania power line upgrade project?

The project began in November 2024 and was completed in April 2025, improving service reliability for nearly 1,000 customers.