READING, PA — FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company (FE PA), operating as Met-Ed in northeastern Pennsylvania, has completed significant upgrades to its distribution system in southeast Monroe County. These enhancements are designed to prevent service interruptions and support the area’s ongoing residential and commercial expansion.
The recent improvements involved reconstructing a crucial section of the power line along Marshalls Creek Road. This upgrade included the installation of larger diameter wires, capable of handling increased electricity demand, to ensure residents remain comfortable during extreme temperatures.
John Hawkins, President of FirstEnergy Pennsylvania, stated, “We reconstructed part of the main line parallelling Marshalls Creek Road with new utility poles, wires, crossarms, and other equipment to enhance electric service for about 1,300 customers in Marshalls Creek and Middle Smithfield Township.” He emphasized that this investment aims to meet the growing electrical load in the Pocono Mountains region and boost grid resilience amid severe weather conditions.
The project covered a 1.6-mile segment of a 34.5-kilovolt line from Brushy Mountain Road to Wooddale Road. It involved replacing 43 utility poles, 110 crossarms, and various other hardware components. Additionally, outdated fuses and insulators were upgraded, animal guards were installed to prevent outages caused by wildlife, and 13 protective devices were replaced to shield the line from lightning strikes.
These upgrades are part of FE PA’s Long Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan (LTIIP), a $153 million initiative aimed at strengthening the electric distribution system over five years. The LTIIP falls under FirstEnergy’s broader Energize365 program, which plans to invest $26 billion from 2024 to 2028 across its operational footprint, enhancing grid intelligence and security.
To further support reliability, tree trimming crews completed vegetation management along the power line corridor and Marshalls Creek Road. This routine maintenance is crucial as tree contact is a leading cause of power outages. By keeping the right-of-way clear, crews can more easily access and repair any damage, ensuring swift restoration during outages.
These efforts by FirstEnergy aim to deliver consistent and dependable power to Monroe County’s residents, meeting current needs while preparing for future demands.
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